Detection Of Rho Proteins

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides methods of detecting activated Rho GTPase proteins by contacting a solid support with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein. The solid support is linked to an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide. The activated Rho GTPase protein remains associated with the solid support during the detection.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/695,844, filed Jul. 5, 2005 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed, in part, to methods of detecting activated Rho proteins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Rho GTPases are a structurally and functionally distinct GTPase of the Ras superfamily (Wennerberg et al., 2005, J. Cell Sci., 118:843-846; Takai et al., 2001, Physiol. Rev., 81:153-208). They are involved in a diverse array of cellular functions, including the regulation of actin and tubulin dynamics, cell polarity, membrane transport pathways and transcription factor activities (Ridley et al., 1992, Cell, 70:389-399; Braga et al., 1997, J. Cell Biol., 137:1421-1431; and Coso et al., 1995, Cell, 81:1137-1146). However, some members of the family (e.g., RhoBTB1, RhoBTB2 and RhoH) do not appear to be functionally closely related to the classical members such as RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 (Aspenstrom et al., 2004, Biochem J., 377:327-337). It is therefore accepted by those of skill in this area that the Rho GTPase of the Ras superfamily GTPases are most clearly defined by sequence homology.

When all the GTPase domains of the 150+ mammalian Ras superfamily members are aligned and are sorted into a dendrogram based on the alignment, the 20 Rho proteins form one separate branch of the Ras superfamily tree (Wennerberg et al., 2005, J. Cell Sci., 118:843-846). The overall homology within the GTPase domain of the Rho proteins separate them from the other Ras superfamily members. The Rho proteins share between 40-95% homology within the GTPase and they are 30% or less homologous to other Ras superfamily GTPases. In addition, the Rho proteins have one motif that is unique to this GTPase of small GTPases. This motif is called the Rho insert domain and is located between the fifth β strand and the fourth α helix in the small GTPase domain (Zong et al., 2001, Mol. Cell Biol., 21:5287-5298).

Accordingly, a small G-protein is considered a Rho family protein if, when aligned with other Ras superfamily proteins, it falls into the Rho branch (e.g., the protein has at least 40% homology to the other Rho proteins) and contains a Rho insert domain.

The Rho GTPases are known to be involved in the progress of many pathogenic processes such as metastatic invasion, bacterial and viral infections and hypertension (Symons, 1995, Curr. Op. Biotech., 6:668-674; Chen et al., 1996, Science, 274:2115-2118; and Uehata et al., 1997, Nature, 389:990-994). Because of their multiple roles in both basic cellular functions and in pathogenic processes there is much interest in developing assays that allow researchers to analyse the activity of Rho GTPases in cells. There is furthermore, great interest in developing assays that are compatible with high throughput screening applications for drug discovery targeting Rho GTPases or the Rho GTPase transduction pathways and for assays compatible with diagnostic applications.

The cellular activities mediated by Rho GTPases are dependent upon the activation state of the GTPase. When GTP is bound to Rho GTPases they are in an active state and are able to bind to effectors and propagate the signal cascade leading to a particular cellular response. When GDP is bound to Rho GTPases the Rho protein is inactive (Takai et al., 2001, Physiol. Rev., 81:153-208). Several assays have been developed that monitor the activation state of Rho GTPases.

One assay, the Rho effector pull-down assay, was originally developed for RhoA GTPases by Ren et al. (1999, EMBO J., 18:578-585) and for Rac1/Cdc42 GTPases by Benard et al. (1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204) and is the classical and most widely used assay. The method involves capture of activated Rho GTPase proteins by effectors bound to beads, release of the GTPase protein from the beads, separation of the beads from the released GTPase protein, followed by SDS-PAGE and analysis of the GTPase protein by western blotting. The assay suffers from poor reproducibility due to the multiple manipulations required in the performance of the assay, and low sensitivity. It is also not suitable for high throughput applications (Teusch et al., 2006, Assay and Drug Devel., 4:133).

There are several cell-based assays that use fluorescent bio-probes to detect activated Rho GTPases (Pertz et al., 2004, J. Cell Sci., 117:1313-1318). Several versions of this type of assay rely on a reporter system to monitor in vivo Rho GTPase activation. These cell-based assays, therefore, do not monitor the actual endogenous levels of the GTPase (Itoh et al., 2002, Mol. Cell Biol., 22:6582-6591; Pertz et al., 2006, Nature, 440:1069-1072; and Vadim et al., 2000, Science, 290:333-337). Other versions of cell-based assays use effector domains linked directly to an environmental dye to monitor endogenous in vivo GTPase activation. Because the placing of the environmental dye on any particular probe requires extensive analysis and a particular effector may not be compatible with dye linkage, the usefulness of any particular effector cannot be predicted (Nalbant et al., 2004, Science, 305:1615-1619). Furthermore, because the use of direct effector detection in vivo results in a probe that most often recognizes more than one GTPase, specificity is an issue in these assays. A further issue with this type of assay is that introduction of exogenous effector will actually alter the levels of Rho GTPase activation, which creates a technically challenging assay method (Pertz et al., 2004, J. Cell Sci., 117:1313-1318).

The fluorescent biosensor probes have also been applied to in vitro assays although their sensitivity is fairly low. Furthermore, that the dyes respond to environmental changes poses issues to drug screening applications (Hahn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,947 B2).

An enzymatic based method to detect Rho activation has been reported (Chen et al., 2003, J. Biol. Chem., 278:2807). The assay utilizes GST-effector-GBD to affinity precipitate active GTP-Rho. GTP is eluted and converted to ATP in a coupled enzymatic assay. ATP is then measured by the firefly luciferase method. This assay is highly dependent on the GST pull-down assay and, thus, has most of the drawbacks associated with this assay. Furthermore, since a Rho-specific antibody is not involved in this method, the specificity of the assay is limited.

An automated cell-based Rho activation assay has also been reported (Teusch et al., 2006, Assay and Drug Devel., 4:133). This assay was developed to replace the GST pull-down assay due to its incompatibility for high throughput screening and poor reproducibility. It is based on the ability of Rho to regulate the actin cytoskeleton. Since actin cytoskeleton is regulated by multiple signal pathways, the specificity for this assay is very limited.

Thus, there is a need for a Rho GTPase activation assay that is simple, specific for a particular GTPase protein, reproducible, sensitive and amenable to high throughput screening applications. The present invention provides for this need as well as others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to methods for detecting an activated Rho GTPase protein by 1) contacting a solid support with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein the solid support is linked to an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide, and wherein the activated Rho GTPase in the sample binds the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide; and 2) detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, wherein the activated Rho GTPase protein remains associated with the solid support during the detection. In some embodiments, the solid support is a microtiter plate or microarray.

In some embodiments, the sample comprises a cell lysate that comprises endogenous activated Rho GTPase protein. In some embodiments, the sample comprises less than 50 μg of total protein. In some embodiments, the cell lysate is prepared from less than 10⁵ cells. In some embodiments, the cell lysate has not been clarified. In some embodiments, the sample comprises exogenous GTP, GDP or GTPγS.

In some embodiments, prior to detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, an Antigen Presenting Buffer is added. The Antigen Presenting Buffer comprises one or more compounds or treatments that can attenuate loss of the activated Rho GTPase protein from the solid support. In some embodiments, the Antigen Presenting Buffer comprises heat denaturation, urea treatment, glutaraldehyde, ethanol, or tricholoracetic acid, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the final concentration of trichloroacetic acid is about 0.5% to about 15% v/v.

In some embodiments, prior to detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, a Binding Buffer is added. In some embodiments, the Binding Buffer comprises ficoll, dextran, or polyethylene glycol, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the polyethylene glycol is PEG 4000 or PEG 8000 at a final concentration of about 2% to about 40% v/v.

In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase protein is detected using an antibody specific for one or more activated Rho GTPase proteins.

In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase protein is a constitutively active mutant. In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase protein is RhoA, RhoB, RhoC, RhoD, Rnd1, Rnd2, Rnd3, Rif, RhoG, Rac1, Rac1b, Rac2, Rac3, Cdc42, TC10, TCL, Wrch-1, Wrch-2, RhoBTB1, or RhoBTB2.

In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide binds to one or more activated Rho GTPase proteins with an affinity that is at least 2-fold higher for the activated versus inactive form of the Rho GTPase protein. In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is a Rhotekin, ROCK1, PAK1, POSH, WASP, or Dia1, or a mutant or multimer of the same. In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is linked to the solid support covalently or non-covalently. In some embodiments, the covalent linkage is a disulfide linkage and the non-covalent linkage is a GST linkage. In some embodiments, the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is lyophilized.

In some embodiments, the methods further comprise quantitating the amount of activated Rho GTPase protein bound to the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide. In some embodiments, the amount of activated Rho GTPase protein is quantitated using an antibody specific for one or more Rho GTPase proteins.

In some embodiments, detection of the activated Rho GTPase protein is carried out by detecting an interaction between the activated Rho GTPase protein and the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide using absorbance, luminescence, or fluorescence.

In some embodiments, the methods further comprise contacting the sample with a test agent and determining whether the test agent modulates an interaction between the activated Rho GTPase protein and the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A depicts a Coomassie stained SDS gel of recombinant effector-GBD peptides. FIG. 1B depicts DNA and amino acid sequences of wild type and modified Rhotekin-Cys-GBD. FIG. 1C depicts Western Blot analysis of modified Rhotekin-Cys selectively binding to activated RhoA.

FIG. 2A depicts RhoA signal detected by luminometry using ROCK plates to detect active RhoA. FIG. 2B depicts Rac1 signal deteced by absorbance at 490 nm using POSH plates to detect active Rac1. FIG. 2C depicts Cdc42 signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm using WASP plates to detect active Cdc42.

FIG. 3A depicts RhoA signal detected by luminometry using ROCK-GBD maleimide plates. FIG. 3B depicts Rac1 signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm using POSH-GBD maleimide plates.

FIG. 4 depicts Western blot with anti-RhoA antibody showing loss of G-LISA GTPase signal during antibody incubations.

FIG. 5A depicts luminescence detection showing development of Antigen Presenting Buffer for RhoA G-LISA (white bars show GDP signal, grey bars show GTPγS signal). FIG. 5B depicts Rac1 signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm showing TCA as Antigen Presenting Buffer in a Rac1:POSH G-LISA.

FIG. 6A depicts RhoA signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm showing stability of active RhoA in the presence of Binding Buffer (SS is serum starved samples—white bars; RhoA induced samples labeled Calpeptin—grey bars). FIG. 6B depicts active RhoA signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm showing enhanced signal for RhoA in the presence of Binding Buffer (SS is serum starved samples—white bars; RhoA induced samples labeled Calpeptin—grey bars). FIG. 6C depicts Rac1 signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm showing effect of Binding Buffer on Rac1 signal (SS is serum starved samples—white bars; Rac1 induced samples labeled EGF—grey bars).

FIG. 7A depicts a screening strategy and Western ranking of RhoA and RhoA,B,C monoclonal antibodies for the purpose of G-LISA development. FIG. 7B depicts raw data for monoclonal antibody G-LISA screen shown in FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8 depicts luminescence of RhoA G-LISA assay on ROCK maleimide plates using non-clarified cell lysates.

FIG. 9 depicts Rac1 signal detected by absorbance at 490 nm using non-covalent effector-GBD plates in a G-LISA assay.

FIG. 10 depicts titration of cell lysates in RhoA G-LISA as well as Western blot results of a GST-Rhotekin-RBD pull-down assay.

FIG. 11 depicts absorbance detection results of a titration of constitutively activated RhoA in G-LISA.

FIG. 12 depicts direct comparison of pull-down assay and G-LISA assay for Rac 1.

FIG. 13A depicts G-LISA analysis of in vivo activated Rac1 by epidermal growth factor (EGF). FIG. 13B depicts G-LISA analysis of in vivo activated Cdc42 by EGF. FIG. 13C depicts analysis of transfections with G-LISA assay.

FIG. 14 depicts extended shelf life studies on lyophilized effector-GBD plates.

FIG. 15 depicts POSH-GBD plate utilization in drug discovery applications.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a Rho GTPase activation assay that is simple, specific for a particular GTPase protein, reproducible, sensitive and amenable to high throughput screening applications that have numerous advantages over traditional pull-down assasys.

As used herein, the term “about” refers to a range of ±5% of the value that is being modified. For example, the phrase “about 10” means a range from 9.5 to 10.5.

As used herein, the term “fragment”, when used in reference to a protein, refers to a peptide or polypeptide that is less than the whole. In some embodiments, the fragment comprises at least 5, at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at least 90, at least 100, about 5 to about 100, about 5 to about 50, about 5 to about 25, about 100 to about 200, 5 to 100, 5 to 50, 5 to 25, 100 to 200, no more than 200, no more than 100, no more than 75, no more than 50, or no more than 25 amino acid residues. A “fragment” is also referred to as a “portion” of a protein.

As used herein, the term “sample” refers to a composition comprising a Rho GTPase protein (activated and/or inactivated) and/or a Rho GTPase binding peptide. Examples of samples include, but are not limited to, blood, cells, cell lysate, and the like. In some embodiments, the cell lysate is clarified or non-clarified. In some embodiments, the sample comprises exogenous GTP, GDP, or GTPγS.

As used herein, the term “clarified” refers to a sample being cleared, reduced, or filtered to remove non-soluble material that is produced upon lysing a cell. Any method can be used to clarify a cell lysate including, but not limited to, centrifugation, filtration, and the like.

As used herein, the phrase “Rho GTPase protein” (also referred to as “Rho sub-family protein”) includes both active and inactive proteins. When GTP is bound to Rho GTPase proteins, they are in an active state and are able to bind to effectors and propagate the signal cascade leading to a particular cellular response. When GDP is bound to Rho GTPases the Rho protein is inactive. The methods of the present invention can be used to detect activated GTPase proteins. Rho GTPase proteins include, but are not limited to, RhoA (SEQ ID NO:1), RhoB (SEQ ID NO:2), RhoC (SEQ ID NO:3), RhoD (SEQ ID NO:4), Rnd3 (SEQ ID NO:5), Rnd1 (SEQ ID NO:6), Rnd2 (SEQ ID NO:7), Rif (SEQ ID NO:8), RhoG (SEQ ID NO:9), RhoH (SEQ ID NO:10), Rac1 (SEQ ID NO:11), Rac1b (SEQ ID NO:84), Rac2 (SEQ ID NO:12), Rac3 (SEQ ID NO:13), Cdc42 (SEQ ID NO:14), TC10 (SEQ ID NO:15), TCL (SEQ ID NO:16), Wrch-1 (SEQ ID NO:17), Wrch-2 (SEQ ID NO:18), RhoBTB1 (SEQ ID NO:19), and RhoBTB2 (SEQ ID NO:20), or any sub-group thereof.

A “Rho GTPase binding peptide” or an “activated Rho GTPase binding peptide” (also referred to as “Rho sub-family binding peptide”) is a protein, or a fragment thereof, that is able to bind to an activated Rho GTPase protein. “Rho GTPase binding peptide” does not refer to GTP or an analog thereof A “Rho GTPase binding peptide” is also referred to herein as an “effector.” One of skill in the art can identify a fragment of a Rho GTPase binding peptide that retains its ability to bind to an active Rho GTPase protein by routine experimentation. In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide used in the methods provided herein binds to the Rho GTPase protein with at least 2-fold higher affinity for the GTP-bound state than the GDP-bound state of the Rho GTPase protein.

In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide can comprise the entire sequence or a portion or fragment of the amino acid sequence of a small G-protein effector such as, for example, ROCK 1, ROCK 2, Citron, DGKθ, Kinectin, Dia1, Dia2, Dia3, PLC-ε, Protein kinase N, Rhophillin, Rhotekin, FHOD, p67Phox, PLC-β, POR-1, POSH, Sra-1, Synaptojanin-2, Ack1, Ack2, CEP1, CEP2, CEP3, CEP4, CEP5, CIP4, Coatamer α, Coatamer γ, MRCKα, MRCKβ, Pak4, Spec1, Spec2, WASP, N-WASP, IRSp53, IQGAP-1, IQGAP-2, MEKK1, MEKK4, MLK2, MLK3, p70 S6 Kinase, Pak1, Pak2, Pak3, Pak4, Pak5, Pak6, PI3K (p85 subunit), PIP5K, PLD-1, or any sub-group or combination thereof. In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide is multimerized such that there is more than one unit of the ligand. For example, the Rho GTPase binding peptide can be dimerized or trimerized (3 copies). The Rho GTPase binding peptide can also have 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 copies of the sequence of the protein that binds to the Rho GTPase protein.

A protein is considered a “Rho GTPase protein” if, when aligned with other Ras superfamily proteins, it falls into the Rho branch (e.g., the protein has at least 40% homology to the other Rho proteins) and contains a Rho insert domain. In some embodiments, a small G-protein is considered to be a Rho family protein if it has at least 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 40-99, 50-99, 60-99, 70-99, 80-99, 85-99, 90-99, or 95-99% homology to other Rho proteins, such as, but not limited to RhoA, RhoB, RhoC, RhoD, Rnd1, Rnd2, Rnd3, Rif, RhoG, Rac1, Rac1b, Rac2, Rac3, Cdc42, TC10, TCL, Wrch-1, Wrch-2, RhoBTB1, and/or RhoBTB2. Additionally, a protein is considered to have a Rho insert protein when using a method such as a conserved domain finder indicates that the protein comprises a Rho insert protein. A protein that is identified as having a Rho insert domain is considered to be a Rho GTPase protein. Any method or software can be used to determine if a protein comprises a Rho insert protein. As a non-limiting example, one can compare a protein to the conserved domain database using for example, “rpsblast” with the default settings, which can be found on the website of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, for example, at the world wide web address of ncbi“dot”nlm“dot”nih“dot”gov/Structure/cdd/wrpsb“dot”cgi. As used herein, for the purposes of an internet address the term “‘dot’” means “.” Examples of Rho GTPase proteins are provided herein and include but are not limited to, RhoA, RhoB, RhoC, RhoD, Rnd1, Rnd2, Rnd3, Rif, RhoG, Rac1, Rac1b, Rac2, Rac3, Cdc42, TC10, TCL, Wrch-1, Wrch-2, RhoBTB1, RhoBTB2, and the like.

Other methods and examples of identifying family members or homologs of proteins include, but are not limited to the following. A number of protein family databases are available for analysis or identification of homologous proteins, domains and motifs. Examples of databases include, but are not limited to, the Simple Modular Architecture Resource Tool (SMART), Protein families database of alignments and HMMs (Pfam), Human Protein Reference Database (HPRD), Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (CGAP), and the Entrez Protein search databases. The SMART database is available at smart“dot”embl-heidelberg“dot”de/. The Pfam database can be accessed through the world wide web of the internet at, for example, sanger“dot”ac“dot”uk/Software/Pfam/search.shtml. OMIM, which is a database of human genetic mutations associated with disease, was developed, in part, for the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). OMIM can be accessed through the world wide web of the internet at, for example, ncbi“dot”nlm“dot”nih“dot”gov/Omim/. CGAP, which is an interdisciplinary program to establish the information and technological tools required to decipher the molecular anatomy of a cancer cell. CGAP can be accessed through the world wide web of the internet at, for example, ncbi“dot”nlm“dot”nih“dot”gov/ncicgap/. The Entrez Protein search database is available through the world wide web of the internet at ncbi“dot”nlm.nih“dot”gov/entrez/query“dot”fcgi?db=Protein. Some of these databases may contain complete or partial nucleotide or amino acid sequences. In recent years, hidden Markov models (HMMs) have become one of the key technologies used for detection of members of these families. The Pfam, TIGRFAMs and SMART databases use the profile-HMMs provided by the HMMER package. TIGRFAMs is a collection of manually curated protein families consisting of HMMs, multiple sequence alignments, commentary, Gene Ontology (GO) assignments, literature references and pointers to related TIGRFAMs, Pfam and InterPro models. TIGRFAMs contains models of full-length proteins and shorter regions at the levels of superfamilies, subfamilies and equivalogs. TIGRFAMs is available for searching or downloading through the world wide web of the internet at “tigr“dot”org/TIGRFAMs.

The portion of the amino acid sequence of a small G-protein effector can be a domain such as, for example, a Cdc42/Rac Interactive Binding (CRIB) domain, a Rho-binding domain (RhoBD), a Rho-interacting domain (RID), a Rho effector or protein kinase C-related kinase homology region 1 (HR-1), a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR), or a Pleckstrin homology (PH) domain.

In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide used in the methods of the present invention can comprise an effector, or domain thereof, for the RhoA GTPase protein. Examples include, but are not limited to, a RhoBD, an RID and an HR-1 domain. A consensus amino acid sequence of a RhoBD able to bind an activated RhoA GTPase protein is SEQ ID NO:21. A consensus amino acid sequence of an HR-1 domain able to bind an activated Rho GTPase protein is SEQ ID NO:22. A consensus amino acid sequence of an RID domain able to bind an activated Rho GTPase protein is SEQ ID NO:23. Examples of peptides containing a RhoBD that are effectors for the RhoA GTPase protein include, but are not limited to, Citron (SEQ ID NO:24), ROCK 1 (SEQ ID NO:25), and ROCK 2 (SEQ ID NO:26). Examples of peptides containing HR-1 domains that are effectors for the RhoA/B/C GTPase proteins include, but are not limited to, Protein kinase N 1 (SEQ ID NO:27), Protein kinase N 2 (SEQ ID NO:28), ROCK 1 (SEQ ID NO:25), ROCK 2 (SEQ ID NO:26), Rhophilin (SEQ ID NO:29), Rhotekin (SEQ ID NO:30), and Rhotekin 2 (SEQ ID NO:83). Examples of peptides containing RID domains that are effectors for the RhoA GTPase protein include, but are not limited to, ROCK 1 (SEQ ID NO:25) and ROCK 2 (SEQ ID NO:26). Examples of other peptides that are effectors for the RhoA GTPase protein include, but are not limited to, DGKθ (SEQ ID NO:31), kinectin (SEQ ID NO:32), Dia1 (SEQ ID NO:33), Dia2 (SEQ ID NO:34), MBS (SEQ ID NO:82), and PLC-ε (SEQ ID NO:35).

Examples of peptides that are effectors for the RhoB GTPase protein include, but are not limited to, Db1 (SEQ ID NO:93) and p76RBE (SEQ ID NO:94).

In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide used in the method of the present invention can comprise an effector for the Rac small G protein. Examples of domains that act as effectors for the Rac small G protein include, but are not limited to, a TPR domain and a PH domain. A consensus amino acid sequence of a TPR domain able to bind an activated Rac small G protein is SEQ ID NO:36. A consensus amino acid sequence of a PH domain able to bind an activated Rac small G protein is SEQ ID NO:37. An example of a peptide containing a TPR domain that is an effector for the Rac small G protein includes, but is not limited to, p67Phox (SEQ ID NO:38). An example of a peptide containing a PH domain that is an effector for the Rac small G protein includes, but is not limited to, PLC-β (SEQ ID NO:39). Examples of other peptides that are Rac small G protein effectors include, but are not limited to, FHOD (SEQ ID NO:40), POR-1 (SEQ ID NO:41), POSH (SEQ ID NO:42), Sra-1 (SEQ ID NO:43), PP5 phosphatase (SEQ ID NO:85), Cinnamolyl-CoA reductase (SEQ ID NO:86), UNC-115 (SEQ ID NO:87), Wave (SEQ ID NO:88), Plexin B1 (SEQ ID NO:89), p35 (SEQ ID NO:90), Tre17 (SEQ ID NO:91), CID (SEQ ID NO:92), and Synaptojanin-2 (SEQ ID NO:44).

In some embodiments, the peptide used in the methods of the present invention can comprise a domain that is an effector for the Cdc42 small G protein. An example of a domain that can act as an effector for the Cdc42 small G protein includes, but is not limited to, a CRIB domain. A consensus amino acid sequence of a CRIB domain able to bind an activated Cdc42 small G protein is SEQ ID NO:45. Examples of peptides containing CRIB domains that are effectors for the Cdc42 small G protein include, but are not limited to, Ack1 (SEQ ID NO:46), Ack2 (SEQ ID NO:47), Pak4 (SEQ ID NO:48), WASP (SEQ ID NO:49), and N-WASP (SEQ ID NO:50). Examples of other peptides that are effectors for the Cdc42 small G protein include, but are not limited to, CEP1 (SEQ ID NO:51), CEP2 (SEQ ID NO:52), CEP3 (SEQ ID NO:53), CEP4 (SEQ ID NO:54), CEP5 (SEQ ID NO:55), CIP4 (SEQ ID NO:56), Coatamer α protein (SEQ ID NO:57), Coatamer γ protein (SEQ ID NO:58), Dia3 (SEQ ID NO:59), MRCKα (SEQ ID NO:60), MRCKβ (SEQ ID NO:61), Spec1 (SEQ ID NO:62), and Spec2 (SEQ ID NO:63).

In some embodiments, the GTPase binding peptide used in the methods of the present invention can comprise a domain that is an effector for both the Rac small G protein and the Cdc42 small G protein. An example of a domain that can act as a Rac small G protein and Cdc42 small G protein effector includes, but is not limited to, a CRIB domain. A consensus amino acid sequence of an CRIB domain able to bind an activated Rac small G protein or an activated Cdc42 small G protein is SEQ ID NO:45. Examples of peptides containing CRIB domains that are effectors for the Rac small G protein and the Cdc42 small G protein include, but are not limited to, MLK2 (SEQ ID NO:64), MLK3 (SEQ ID NO:65), Pak1 (SEQ ID NO:66), Pak2 (SEQ ID NO:67), Pak3 (SEQ ID NO:68), Pak5 (SEQ ID NO:69), Pak6 (SEQ ID NO:70), Tre17 (SEQ ID NO:91), and Par6 (SEQ ID NO:71). Examples of other peptides that are effectors for the Rac small G protein and the Cdc42 small G protein include, but are not limited to, IRSp53 (SEQ ID NO:72), IQGAP-1 (SEQ ID NO:73), IQGAP-2 (SEQ ID NO:74), MEKK1 (SEQ ID NO:75), MEKK4 (SEQ ID NO:76), p70 S6 kinase (SEQ ID NO:77), and PI3k, p85 subunit (SEQ ID NO: 78).

In some embodiments, the GTPase binding peptide used in the methods of the present invention can comprise a domain that is an effector for both the Rac small G protein and the RhoA small G protein. An example of a peptide that is an effector for the Rac small G protein and the RhoA small G protein includes, but is not limited to, PIP5K (SEQ ID NO:79).

In some embodiments, the GTPase binding peptide used in the methods of the present invention can comprise a domain that that is a binding protein for the active form of the Rac small G protein, the RhoA small G protein, and the Cdc42 small G protein. An example of this class of peptide includes, but is not limited to, PLD-1 (SEQ ID NO:80), Vav PH, DH, CRD domain (SEQ ID NO 81).

In some embodiments, the GTPase binding peptide used in the methods of the present invention can comprise a domain that that is a binding protein for the active form of the Rnd2 small G protein or TC10 small G protein. An example of this class of peptide includes, but is not limited to, PIST for TC10 (SEQ ID NO:95), Rapostlin for Rnd2 (SEQ ID NO:96) and Pragmin, for Rnd2 (SEQ ID NO:97).

In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide or effector is modified such that all or a portion of the internal cysteine residues are mutated to non-cysteine residues. In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide or effector is modified such that it comprises a C-terminal cysteine residue. In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide comprises a combination of different effectors or fragments of proteins that can bind to a Rho GTPase protein.

It is understood in the art that the amino acid sequence of a peptide or protein need not be 100% identical to another peptide or protein in order for both proteins to be considered to have a common or conserved peptide domain or to be members of a conserved protein family. For example, for a short peptide domain (i.e., less than 50 amino acids), several proteins have been found to have a peptide domain known as the Cdc42/Rac Interactive Binding (CRIB) domain. The CRIB domain is a 14- to 16-amino acid sequence with eight conserved residues that was previously shown to be involved in the binding of signaling molecules to activated GTP-bound forms of Rac and Cdc42. The consensus CRIB domain is I-S-X-P-X(4)-F-X-H-X(2)-H-V-G, where the number in brackets represents the total number of variable (X) amino acid residues.

For larger peptide domains, such as peptides with 50 or more amino acids, when two or more proteins, peptides or domains are homologous, highly conserved, or closely related, the amino acid sequence of a given protein, peptide or domain can be at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identical to the amino acid sequence of another peptide, protein, or a domain within a given protein.

In general, among sequences and subsequences of greater than 50 residues in length that are less than 50-60% different, the major features of the alignment are reproduced by a wide variety of algorithms. Thus, closely related sequences greater than 50 amino acids in length and protein homologs will share at least 40% amino acid identity, and in some embodiments will share at least between 40% and 50% amino acid identity, and in some embodiments will share at least between 50% and 60% amino acid identity, and in some embodiments will share at least between 60% and 70% amino acid identity, and in some embodiments will share at least between 70% and 80% amino acid identity, and in some embodiments will share at least between 80% and 90% amino acid identity, and in still other embodiments will share at least between 90% and 100% amino acid identity. The homology can be calculated using various publicly available software tools, such as those developed by NCBI (Bethesda, Md.) obtainable through the internet (ftp“dot”ncbi“dot”nlm“dot”nih“dot”gov/pub/). Exemplary tools include, but are not limited to, the BLAST system available through the world wide web of the internet at ncbi“dot”nlm“dot”nih“dot”gov, and the EMBOSS Pairwise Alignment Algorithms (BLOSUM62 matrix setting) and ClustalW alignments available through the world wide web of the internet at “dot”ebi“dot”ac“dot”uk/emboss/align/ and ebi“dot”ac“dot”uk/clustalw/, respectively.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods for detecting an activated Rho GTPase protein comprising contacting a solid support with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein. The solid support is linked to an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide. The activated Rho GTPase in the sample binds the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide. The activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample is detected. The activated Rho GTPase protein remains associated with nthe solid support during the detection. As a non-limiting example, the solid support is the well of a microtiter plate to which a Rho GTPase binding peptide is linked and a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein is contacted with the microtiter plate. In this example, the Rho GTPase binding peptide and the activated Rho GTPase protein interact with one another either directly or indirectly through a complex and the remaining proteins or other components of the sample are washed away or removed leaving the activated Rho GTPase protein with the solid support for the detection step. Therefore, in this example, the Rho GTPase protein is considered to remain associated with the solid support. In contrast, in a standard pull-down assay using a bead, wherein a Rho GTPase binding peptide is linked to the bead and contacted with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein, the activated protein is eluted from the beads and separated from the beads before loading onto a gel or other type of separation medium (e.g., a column) or is separated from the solid support prior to detection. The Rho GTPase protein is then detected but it has been separated away from the solid support (e.g., a bead) and, therefore, in the standard pull-down assay the activated Rho GTPase protein does not remain associated with the solid support during the detecting step.

As used herein, when two proteins or components are referred to as being “bound to one another” this can mean that they are directly in contact with one another or are in a complex with one another but not in direct contact.

The solid support can be any surface to which a Rho GTPase binding peptide can bind. Examples include, but are not limited to, a microtiter plate, beads, discs, microarrays, slides, and the like. In some embodiments, the solid support includes a microtiter plate or microarray bu does not include a bead or a disc. In some embodiments, the solid support is activated or coated with an agent that will covalently attach a protein to the solid support, by for example, forming a disulfide bond. An example of such an agent is, but not limited to, malemide. The solid support can also be coated or modified in such a way that allows a protein to bind or bond with the solid support through a non-covalent interaction. For example, the solid support can comprise glutathione, which will bind to a protein comprising a GST moiety or the solid support can comprise a cations that allow a protein comprising a Histidine tag to bind to it. Other modifications can also be used including, but not limited to, avidin-biotin, HA-hemagluttin, and the like.

In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase binding peptide(s) used in the methods of the present invention are covalently attached to a maleimide activated plate. Maleimide activated plates are available commercially and are designed to immobilize biomolecules through available −SH moieties, usually from a cysteine residue. Examples of maleimide activated microplates include, but are not limited to, polystyrene microplates such as Costar's Sulfhydryl Binding Plates and Strips (Corning, Inc. Corning, N.Y.), Reacti-Bind™ Maleimide Activated Plates (Pierce Biotechnology, Inc. Rockford, Ill.) and maleimide activated microwell plates-sulfhydryl-TRAP™ (NoAb Biodiscoveries, Inc. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada).

In some embodiments, the effector peptide(s) used in the methods of the present invention can be attached to a solid support (e.g. microtiter plate or microarray) with a preactivated covalent surface molecule. Available commercially, the surfaces of these plates are highly specific for their coupling partners thus are used to immobilize biomolecules in a site-directed manner. Examples of these plates are, but not limited to, N-oxysuccinimide (DNA-BIND™) activated plate, Hydrazide (Carbo-BIND™) activated plate, Univer-BIND™ plate (Corning, Inc. Corning N.Y.), Reacti-Bind NeutrAvidin coated plate, Reacti-Bind Streptavidin coated plate, Reacti-Bind anti-GFP coated plate, Reacti-Bind anti-GST coated plate (Pierce Biotechnology, Rockland, Ill.), Biotin-Trap™, GST-Trap™, Amine-Trap™, Sugar-Trap™, Streptavidin-Trap™ plates (NoAb Biodiscoveries, Inc. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), and the like.

In some embodiments, the effector peptide(s) used in the method of the present invention can be linked (e.g., attached) to a solid support (e.g. microtiter plate) that contains a medium to high binding surface that passively absorbs biomolecules through hydrophobic or ionic interactions. Examples of these plates include, but are not limited to, a series of EIA/RIA plates made by Corning, Inc, (Corning N.Y.) Pierce biotechnology, Inc (Rockland Ill.), and the like.

In some embodiments, the effector peptide(s) used in the method of the present invention can be linked to a microtiter plate that contains an aminated or carboxylated surface. Through these surfaces, covalent coupling is achieved using bifunctional crosslinkers that couple the amine or carboxyl group on the surface to a functional group, such as an amine, thiol or carboxyl group, on the peptide. These microplates include, but not limited to, the series of polystyrene or polypropylene plates made by Corning, Inc (Corning N.Y.).

In some embodiments, the effector peptide(s) used in the method of the present invention can be a plate that is formatted to hold a given reaction volume. Examples include, but are not limited to, 96-well plates, 384-well plates, 1536-well plates, and the like. In some embodiments, the effector peptide(s) of the present invention can be presented in a microarray format.

In some embodiments, the immobilized effector peptide used in the methods of the present invention were formulated to allow them to be lyophilized in the wells or microarray formats and to furthermore, maintain their ability to bind to activated Rho GTPase proteins upon rehydration.

In some embodiments, the immobilized peptide is a Rho GTPase protein which creates a target for an effector or effector-HRP conjugate. In this case, the format is designed to screen for ligands that inhibit or enhance the interaction between these two proteins. In this format, the assay can be used to discover ligands that are useful in drug discovery.

In some embodiments, the assay (method) comprises immobilizing (linking) an active Rho binding peptide or fragment thereof to wells of a microtiter plate. In some embodiments, the method comprises lyophilizing the bound protein in wells to create a highly stable and robust protein matrix; incubating the immobilized binding protein with activated Rho GTPase proteins from clarified or non-clarified cell lysates or from tissue samples or recombinant sources; and quantitating the amount of effector bound activated Rho GTPase protein using a Rho GTPase specific antibody.

The present method has numerous advantages over previous effector based methods for determining the activation state of Rho GTPase proteins and other small G-proteins. First, the assay can produce a stable lyophilized formulation of active Rho GTPase binding peptides attached to a microtiter well or microarray, thereby allowing the whole activation assay to be carried out in a single well format, eliminating the need for constant sample manipulations and consequently creating a far more robust assay. Second, in some embodiments, the method does not require pre-clarification of cell lysates containing activated Rho GTPase proteins, which allows easier handling of multiple samples and minimizes underestimates of Rho activation due to GAP activity. Third, this assay is more sensitive than current assays allowing the use of smaller amounts of cell lysate or total protein, which can be important in cases where minimal raw materials are available and in cases where high throughput assays are required.

In some embodiments, the invention provides methods for the high throughput screening of samples (e.g. biological (tissue, blood, and the like) or cell culture) for quantitation of their activated G-protein status. The invention also provides methods for the high throughput screening of compounds or biomolecules that inhibit or enhance or facilitate the interaction between a small G-protein and its effector protein. Examples of the methods include, but not limited to, compounds that inhibit or enhance the RhoA-Rho kinase interaction, RhoA-Dia interaction, RhoC-Rho kinase interaction, Rac1-Pak interaction, Cdc42-Pak interaction.

In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a solid support (e.g., a microtiter plate or microarray) ELISA based method for detecting activated Rho GTPase proteins. The method comprises, attaching an active Rho GTPase specific binding peptide to wells of a solid support (e.g., microtiter plate or microarray matrix), incubating the immobilized active Rho GTPase binding peptide with a sample (e.g., cell lysates) containing one or more activated Rho GTPase proteins and quantitation of the activated Rho GTPase protein using an antibody (e.g., non-specific or specific) for a particular Rho GTPase protein.

In some embodiments, the antibody used in the methods of the invention is a monoclonal, recombinant or polyclonal antibody for Rho GTPase proteins. These antibodies can be specific for one family member or for several family members. Examples of these antibodies include, but not limited to, mouse monoclonal anti RhoA antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz Calif.), mouse monoclonal anti pan-Rho antibody (BD Transduction Laborataries, San Diego Calif.), chicken polyclonal anti RhoA antibody (Genway, Inc. San Diego Calif.), mouse monoclonal anti-Rho A,B,C (Cytoskeleton Inc.), mouse anti-RhoA (Cytoskeleton Inc.), and the like.

In some embodiments, the antibody used in the method of the invention can be a monoclonal, recombinant or polyclonal primary antibody conjugated to an enzyme or detectable biomolecules. These detectable conjugated antibodies avoid the use of secondary antibody thus increasing the specificity of the reaction. Examples of the conjugated antibodies include, but not limited to, HRP-conjugated primary antibody, AP-conjugated primary antibody, biotin-conjugated primary antibody previously mixed with a streptavidin-HRP conjugate.

In some embodiments, the antibody used in the method of the invention can be a monoclonal, recombinant or polyclonal antibody to a specific effector of Rho GTPase proteins.

An “antibody specific for a particular Rho GTPase protein” refers to an antibody that is specific for only one Rho GTPase protein and will not react or detect a different Rho GTPase protein. In some embodiments, an antibody can be bi-specific, such that it can bind or detect two Rho different Rho GTPase proteins. In some embodiments, an antibody recognizes one or more Rho GTPase proteins. In some embodiments, a non-specific antibody is used that can detect and bind to more than two Rho GTPase proteins. The antibody can be specific for a particular Rho GTPase protein, but the antibody can also recognize in some embodiments only an activated form of the Rho GTPase protein, an inactive form of the Rho GTPase protein, or in some embodiments the antibody can recognize both active or inactive forms.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a solid support (e.g., microtiter plate or microarray) ELISA based methods for detecting activated recombinant Rho GTPase proteins. The method can comprise linking a Rho GTPase specific binding peptide (e.g., an effector peptide) to wells of a microtiter plate or microarray matrix; incubating the immobilized effector peptide with one or more activated recombinant Rho GTPase proteins; and quantitation of the activated Rho GTPase protein using an antibody specific for a particular Rho GTPase protein.

In some embodiments, the Rho GTPase protein is a recombinant mutant form of the Rho GTPase and/or a constitutively active mutant. One of skill in the art can create constitutively active mutants of Rho GTPase proteins. In some embodiment, the effector protein or peptide can be incubated with the immobilized Rho GTPase protein and Rho GTPase effector interactions are quantitated using an effector specific antibody.

In some embodiments, the method comprises quantitating the amount of an active Rho GTPase protein.

As used herein, “an effector specific antibody” is an antibody that binds to only one effector and cannot detect or bind to a different effector.

In some embodiments, the cell lysate or sample is formulated in a solution containing a buffer component between pH 5-10, about pH 7.5, or a pH of about 6 to about 8, about 6 to about 9, about 7 to about 8, or about 7. In some embodiments, the sample comprising the effector peptide or the Rho protein can comprise a detergent component. The detergent component can be, for example, a non-ionic detergent such as, but not limited to, Triton X-100. The final concentration of the detergent can be, for example, about 0.1, about 0.2, about 0.3, about 0.4, about 0.5, about 0.6, about 0.7, about 0.8, about 0.9, about 1.0, about 1.5, about 1 to about 2, about 1 to about 3, about 0.5 to about 1.5, about 0.75 to about 1.25, about 1 to about 5, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.5, 1 to 2, 1 to 3, 0.5 to 1.5, 0.75 to 1.25, or 1 to 5%. In some embodiments, the cell lysate or sample comprises magnesium chloride. In some embodiments, the final concentartion of magnesium chloride can be, for example, from about 5 to about 80, about 10 to about 50, about 15 to about 25, about 20, 5 to 80, 10 to 50, 15 to 25, or 20 mM.

The sample or lysis buffer can also comprise a salt component. Examples of a salt component include, but are not limited to sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and the like. The final concentration of the salt component can be, for example, from about 10 to about 700, about 100 to about 500, 10 to 700, or 100 to 500, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, about 100, about 200, about 300, about 400, about 500 mM.

In some embodiments, the amount of total protein in the sample or cell lysate is from about 1 to about 300, about 20 to about 50, about 1 to about 200, about 1 to about 100, about 1 to about 75, about 1 to about 50, about 1 to about 25, about 1 to about 10, about 20, about 50, less than 100, less than 75, less than 50, less than 25, less than 10, less than 300, or less than 200 μg.

In some embodiments, the sample comprises about 10³ to about 10⁶, 10³ to about 10⁵, 10³ to about 10⁴, 10⁴ to about 10⁵, less than 10⁶, less than 10⁵, or less than 10⁴ cells or a cell lysate prepared from the same number of cells as indicated herein.

The detection of an interaction (e.g., binding) between a Rho GTPase binding peptide and an Rho GTPase protein (e.g., activated or unactivated) can be carried out with any method or machine that one can use to detect such interactions. For example, the detection can use the detection of a change in absorbance, luminescence, fluorescence, combinations thereof, and the like.

In some embodiments of the invention, prior to detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, an Antigen Presenting Buffer (APB) (also referred to as “antigen presenting enhancement”) is added. The Antigen Presenting Buffer comprises one or more compounds or treatments that can attenuate loss of the activated Rho GTPase protein from the solid support. In some embodiments, the Antigen Presenting Buffer comprises heat denaturation; dry denaturation; urea treatment; crosslinkers such as SMCC and glutaraldehyde; ethanol or methanol; or tricholoracetic acid; or any combination or subgroup thereof. In some embodiments, loss of the activated Rho GTPase protein from the solid support is attenuated by at least 10%, by at least 20%, by at least 30%, by at least 40%, by at least 50%, by at least 60%, by at least 70%, by at least 80%, or by at least 90%. In some embodiments, the final concentration of trichloroacetic acid is about 0.5% to about 15% v/v. In some embodiments, the final concentration of TCA is about 0.5% to about 10%, about 0.5% to about 7.5%, about 0.5% to about 5%, about 0.5% to about 4%, about 0.5% to about 3%, about 0.5% to about 2%, about 0.5% to about 1%, about 0.5%, or about 1%, less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, or less than 2% v/v.

In some embodiments, prior to detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, a Binding Buffer (also referred to as a “protein:protein interaction enhancer”) is added. In some embodiments, the Binding Buffer increases the binding affinity of the Rho GTPase binding peptide and the Rho GTPase protein at least 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 2-fold, 3-fold, or more than 3-fold than in the absence of the Binding Buffer. In some embodiments, the Binding Buffer comprises ficoll, dextran, or polyethylene glycol, or any combination or subgroup thereof. In some embodiments, the polyethylene glycol is PEG 4000 or PEG 8000 at a final concentration of about 2% to about 40% v/v. In some embodiments, the final concentration of the PEG is about 2% to about 40%, about 2% to about 30%, about 2% to about 25%, about 2% to about 20%, about 2% to about 10%, about 2% to about 5%, about 2%, about 10%, about 20%, about 30%, about 40%.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises quantitating the amount of activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample. The manner in which the amount of the protein is quantitated is not specific to the present method and any quantitation method can be used. Suitable methods include, but are not limited to, differences in absorbance, luminescence, or fluorescence.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises contacting the sample with a test agent and determining whether the test agent modulates binding of the activated Rho GTPase protein to the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide. In some embodiments, the test agent will increase the binding and in other embodiments the test agent will decrease the binding. A test agent can be any compound or composition such as a protein, peptide, small organic molecule, carbohydrate, and the like. If the test agent inhibits the binding the test agent is considered to be an inhibitor. The binding of the Rho GTPase protein and the Rho GTPase binding peptide can be compared in the absence and the presence of the test agent to determine if the test agent modulates the binding. The binding can be detected or quantitated by any method including those described herein.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method for detecting an activated Rho GTPase protein comprising contacting a solid support with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein a modified Rho GTPase binding peptide is linked to the solid support, and wherein the modified Rho GTPase binding peptide has a lower K_(d) (i.e., binds with a greater affinity) with the activated Rho GTPase protein than the unmodified Rho GTPase binding peptide has with the Rho GTPase protein; and detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample. In some embodiments, the modified Rho GTPase binding peptide is an oligomerized Rho GTPase binding peptide or a mutated Rho GTPase binding peptide. The modified peptide can be any peptide as described herein and known to one of skill in the art including, but not limited to, a modified Rhotekin, modified ROCK1, modified PAK1, modified POSH, or modified WASP.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of detecting an activated Rho GTPase protein comprising contacting a microtiter plate or microarray with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein an activated Rho GTPase specific antibody is linked to the microtiter plate or microarray; and detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of identifying an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide comprising contacting a test agent with an activated Rho GTPase protein optionally in the presence of an Antigen Presenting Buffer; and detecting the binding of the Rho GTPase protein to the test agent, wherein the detection of binding indicates that the test agent is an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods further comprising contacting a solid support with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein the solid support is linked to the test agent; and detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of determining whether an Antigen Presenting Buffer is beneficial to detect the binding of an activated Rho GTPase protein to an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide comprising contacting a solid support with a sample comprising the activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein a Rho GTPase binding peptide is linked to the solid support; and detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample at different time intervals, wherein a decrease in detection at different time intervals indicates that the Antigen Presenting Buffer is beneficial.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of determining whether a test buffer is an Antigen Presenting Buffer comprising contacting a solid support with a test buffer and an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is linked to the solid support; and detecting the binding of the activated Rho GTPase protein to the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide at different time intervals, wherein if no decrease in detection is observed in the presence of the test buffer as compared to the absence of the test buffer, then the test buffer is an Antigen Presenting Buffer that facilitates detection of binding of an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide with an activated Rho GTPase protein. If, in the absence of the test buffer, there is a decrease in detection wherease the presence of the test buffer prevents the decrease in the detection then the test buffer is an APB.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides compositions comprising a solid support; an Antigen Presenting Buffer; an activated Rho GTPase protein; and an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide or a modified Rho GTPase binding peptide.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides kits comprising a solid support and an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide, wherein the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is optionally linked to the solid support; and optionally an Antigen Presenting Buffer. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a Rho GTPase binding peptide that is covalently linked to the solid support. In some embodiments, the kit further comprises a positive control, wherein the positive control comprises an activated Rho GTPase protein that can bind to the Rho GTPase binding peptide. In some embodiments, the kit comprises an Antigen Presenting Buffer that comprises trichloric acetic acid (TCA). In some embodiments, the kit comprises a Binding Buffer, such as dextran, ficoll, PEG, or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the kit comprises a Rho GTPase binding peptide that is Rhotekin, ROCK1, PAK1, POSH, or WASP. In some embodiments, the kit further comprises instructions for carrying out the detection of an activated Rho GTPase protein.

In some embodiments, the kit comprises an agent for detecting binding between the Rho GTPase binding peptide and an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein the agent is luminescent, fluorescent, or radioactive. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a solid support that is a microtiter plate, microarray, or slide, wherein the solid support is optionally activated with malemide or otherwise activated or coated as described herein to facilitate the binding of the Rho GTPase binding peptide to the solid support.

In order that the invention disclosed herein may be more efficiently understood, examples are provided below. It should be understood that these examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention in any manner. Throughout these examples, molecular cloning reactions, and other standard recombinant DNA techniques, were carried out according to methods described in Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press (1989), using commercially available reagents, except where otherwise noted.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Production of Effector-GBD Peptides for the G-LISA Assay

There are some sequence motifs that are shared between subgroups of Rho GTPase effectors, for example, the Cdc42/Rac-interacting binding (CRIB) motif is present in many, though not all Rac and Cdc42 binding proteins (Burbelo et al., 1995, J. Biol. Chem., 270:29071-29074) and has been found to be necessary but not sufficient for effector binding (Rudolph et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem., 273:18067-18076). A further common Rho effector motif is the Rho effector homology (REM) found in PRK1 and PRK2 and the HR1 repeat motif which is found in effectors such as rhophilin and rhotekin (Flynn et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem., 273:2698-2705). However, there are a large number of effectors that do not contain any of the currently identified GTPase-binding motifs. These include the POSH, PI3K and DAG effectors (Bishop et al., 2000, Biochem. J., 348:241-255). This type of protein is classified as a Rho effector purely on its functional ability to differentiate between the GTP (active) and GDP (inactive) bound forms of Rho GTPases (Tapon, 1998, EMBO J., 17:1395-1404; and Kobayashi et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem., 273:291-295). It is therefore accepted by those skilled in the art that Rho effectors are currently defined by their functional ability to selectively recognize the GTP-bound (active) form of Rho GTPases over the inactive GDP form of the GTPase (Vetter et al., 2001, Science, 294:1299-1304; Blumenstein et al., 2004, J. Biol. Chem., 279:53419-53426; Martin et al., 1995, EMBO J., 14:1970-1978; Leung et al., 2005, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 102:5685-5690; Bishop et al., 2000, Biochem. J., 348:241-255; and Fujisawa et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem., 273:18943-18949).

The example provided herein has utilized six of the most extensively characterized Rho effectors, or more specifically Rho effector-GTPase Binding Domain (GBD) peptides. Table 1 details the effector and the specificity of the effector for activated Rho family proteins.

TABLE 1 Effector Recognition of Activated Rho Family Proteins Activated Rho family proteins Effector recognized by name effector-GBD References Rhotekin RhoA, RhoB, Reid, 1996, J. Biol. Chem., 271: 13556 RhoC ROCK1 RhoA, RhoB, Fujisawa, 1996, J. Biol. Chem., 271: 23022 RhoC, RhoE/ Riento, 2003, Mol. Cell. Biol., 23: 4219 Rnd3 PAK1 Rac1, Rac1b, Bagrodia, 1995, J. Biol. Chem., 270: 22731 Rac2, Rac3, Saras, 2004, J. Exp. Cell Res., 299: 356 Cdc42, Wrch1 POSH Rac1 Tapon, 1998, EMBO, 17: 1395 WASP Cdc42, TC10, Symons, 1996, Cell, 84: 723 TCL, Wrch2/ Abe, 2002, J. Cell. Sci., 116: 155 Chp Vignal, 2000, J. Biol. Chem., 275: 36457 Aronheim, 1998, Curr. Biol., 8: 1125 Dial RhoA, RhoC Watanabe, 1997, EMBO J., 16: 30444

Materials and Methods

Effector cDNA Cloning

For all of the effector proteins and effector GTPase Binding Domains (GBD) provided herein as examples, the full length mammalian cDNA has been previously described (see Table 2). Effector-GBD peptides have been cloned by PCR using the primers and cDNA sources indicated in Table 2. The nucleotide numbering in Table 2 corresponds to the Genbank submission numbering scheme. GTPase Binding Domains (GBDs) were selected based upon published data identifying active Rho binding domains of effectors (see Table 1).

TABLE 2 Effector Cloning Information Primers for cDNA cloning Nucleotides Effector Accession 5′ primer included cDNA name number 3′ primer (amino acid) source Rhotekin NM_009106 5′ caggatccattctggaagatctgaacatgctg  19-267 Mouse (SEQ ID NO: 98)  (7-89) 3′ cagaattcgcccccaccagttttttcgag (SEQ ID NO: 99) ROCK1-1 NM_005406 5′ accgaattcgaagctgagcaatatttctcg 2539-3070 Human (SEQ ID NO: 100)  (847-1024) 3′ accgaattctca aca ttgtgtattagctttctttctata (SEQ ID NO: 101) Dial-1 NM_005219 5′ caggatcctctgcatcatatggggatgat 187-780 Human (SEQ ID NO: 102)  (63-260) 3′ cagaattctcatagaatacaaagagcagaaag (SEQ ID NO: 103) PAK1 NM_002576 5′ caggatccaaagagaaagagcggccagagat 202-453 Human (SEQ ID NO: 104)  (68-151) 3′ cagaattctca aca ctcagctgacttatctgtaaagctc (SEQ ID NO: 105) POSH NM_020870 5′ caggatccaagcaccccgacaccaagaag  871-1089 Human (SEQ ID NO: 106) (291-363) 3′ cagaattcacccagtggtgcttatatggacc (SEQ ID NO: 107) WASP NM_000377 5′ caggatccgacatccagaaccctgacatcacg 601-963 Human (SEQ ID NO: 108) (201-321) 3′ cagaattctca aca tcgagatggcggtgggggcggc (SEQ ID NO: 109) *Cysteine codons are underlined

The sequences from the GenBank accession numbers from Table 2 and anywhere provided herein, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Modification of Effector-GBD DNA Sequences to Allow Directional Covalent Binding to Maleimide Activated Plates

In instances where effector-GBD peptides were linked covalently to maleimide plates (see later in this example and Table 3), the effector-GBD peptide DNA was modified to contain a single cysteine residue at the carboxy terminal Cysteine codons were engineered into the primer design for ROCK1, PAK1 and WASP (see Table 2, the cysteine codon in the 3′ primers are underlined). In the case of POSH, advantage of the cystein codon (position 351) close to the carboxy terminal was taken.

The effector-GBD of rhotekin contains three internal cysteine residues (Table 2 and FIG. 1). To allow directional binding of rhotekin-GBD to maleimide plates the rhotekin-GBD was chemically synthesized (Entelechon GmbH, St. Veit-Weg 2, 93051 Regensburg, Germany), the three internal cysteins were removed and replaced with glutamic acid (aa#43), leucine (aa#49) and serine (aa#65) respectively. A cysteine codon was placed at the carboxy terminal of the modified rhotekin-GBD, immediately upstream of a stop codon. The design of the synthetic rhotekin-GBD sequence was carried out using Leto 1.0 gene optimization software which is based on a proprietary genetic algorithm (Entelechon GmbH, St. Veit-Weg 2, 93051 Regensburg, Germany). The sequence design allowed optimization of codon usage, homogenous GC content, mRNA secondary structure, codon and motif repeats and restriction sites. The synthetic Rhotekin-GBD DNA was supplied by Entelechon GmbH in a pUC18 cloning vector. The DNA was cleaved with restriction enzymes BamH1 and EcoR1 according to the manufacturers instructions (Promega Corp., Madison, Wis.) and the 273 by DNA fragment containing modified Rhotekin-GBD was cloned directly into the BamH1 and EcoR1 sites of the expression vector pGEX-4T, creating a Rhotekin-GBD domain fused to a Glutathione S Transferase tag at the amino terminal and containing a unique cysteine residue at the carboxy terminal. All molecular biology manipulations were carried out in accordance with general principles outlined in Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 1998, Second edition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Ed. Sambrook et al.

Expression Plasmid Vector Backbones and Purification Tag

The example described herein utilizes the expression vectors pRSET-A (Invitrogen Corp., Grand Island, N.Y.) which contains an N-terminal Histidine tag (His-tag) and pGEX-4T (GE Healthcare (Pharmacia Inc.), Piscataway, N.J.) which contains an N-terminal GST-tag. A thrombin protease site between the GST-tagged constructs and effector-GBD peptide of interest allows removal of the GST tag by thrombin cleavage. Table 3 recites the vector used for cloning of each effector-GBD used in the examples. Table 3 also recites the tag used for effector-GBD peptide purification and the method used for linking peptide to microtiter plates. Details of microtiter plate coating is provided in Example 2.

TABLE 3 Effector Purification Tags and Plate Binding Tags Plasmid Vector Purificiation Plate Effector-GBD Backbone tag Peptide Linker for Plate Binding Chemistry ROCK1 pRSET-A Histidine Unique cystein engineered into Maleimide carboxy terminal of effector Rhotekin pGRX-4T GST GST tag at amino terminal Glutathione Rhotekin- pGEX-4T GST Unique cystein engineered into Maleimide Cys carboxy terminal of effector PAK1 pGEX-4T GST GST tag at amino terminal Glutathione POSH pRSET-A Histidine Naturally occuring cystein in Maleimide POSH protein WASP pRSET-A Histidine Unique cystein engineered into Maleimide carboxy terminal of effector Dia pGEX-4T GST GST tag at amino terminal Glutathione

Effector Protein Expression

Bacterial cultures (for example BL21 (DE3) or BL21) containing an expression construct (for example those plasmids described in Table 2) were grown in media (typically LB media) plus a suitable antibiotic (typically ampicillin at 50 μg/ml). Cultures were grown at 37° C. with shaking at 200 rpm until OD₆₀₀ reached approximately 0.6. To induce protein production, IPTG was added to 0.2 mM and shaking was continued at room temperature (typically for 12 hours). Prior to induction, a small sample of bacteria were collected (typically 1 ml) and stored at −20° C. After induction, a small sample of bacteria (typically 1 ml) were collected and stored at −20° C. The remainder of the culture was harvested by pelleting bacteria at 6,000 g. Bacterial pellets could be stored at −20° C. until processed. The 1 ml bacterial samples mentioned above were used to determine efficiency of recombinant protein induction by comparing recombinant protein levels in induced versus uninduced bacterial pellets. Typically this analysis is done by coomassie staining of proteins in an SDS-PAGE system.

Effector Protein Purification

Bacterial pellets were resuspended in lysis buffer (typically 20 ml per liter of culture). Lysis buffer for His tagged proteins was typically 50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 50 mM NaCl, 0.5 mM MgCl₂, and 5 mM imidazole. Lysis buffer for GST tagged proteins was typically 50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, and 2 mM EDTA. Resuspended cells were passed through four layers of cheesecloth to remove debris and cells were lysed by passage through a microfluidizer (Model M-110L, Microfluidics). Lysates were clarified by a centrifugation step at 60,000 g.

Histidine tagged proteins were purified by immobilized metal-affinity chromatography (IMAC) (Bornhorst et al., 2000, Methods in Enzymology, 326:245-254). Briefly, lysates were incubated with metal chelated beads (typically nickel or cobalt beads at 1 ml of beads per liter of bacterial culture). The bead/lysate mixture was incubated for 30-60 minutes at 4° C. Beads were washed with wash buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 0.5 mM NaCl) containing imidazole concentrations ranging from 10 mM to 30 mM. Recombinant effector protein was eluted in 3-5 bead volumes of elution buffer (500 mM imidazole, 200 mM NaCl, 50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 1 mM MgCl₂) and stored at −70° C.

GST tagged proteins were purified by glutathione affinity chromatography (Smith, 2000, Methods in Enzymology, 326:254-270). Briefly, lysates were incubated with glutathione beads (typically 1 ml of beads per liter of bacterial culture) at 4° C. for 1 hour. The beads were then washed 3 times with an equal volume of lysis buffer and recombinant GST tagged effector protein was eluted with 3-5 bead volumes of elution buffer (lysis buffer plus 10 mM reduced glutathione) and stored at −70° C.

Thrombin Cleavage of GST Tagged Effector-GBD Peptides

The protocol followed the procedure outlined in Meth. Enz. 1995, 256:178. Briefly, GST-tagged protein bound to glutathione beads were washed 3 times in PBS plus 1% Triton X-100 and 3 times in 50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, and 2.5 mM CaCl₂. The beads were finally resuspended in an equal volume of calcium buffer. Bovine alpha thrombin (Sigma) was added to the beads at 30 units per mg of protein. The cleavage was carried out for 2-5 hours at 4° C. with rotation. The beads were removed by centrifugation and the cleaved proteins were retained and stored at −70° C.

Pull-Down Assay

Modified GST rhotekin-GBD peptide was bound to glutathione beads and 20 ug of bead bound effector was added to 500 μl (250 μg) of clarified GTPγS or GDP loaded platelet extract (see Example 2 for lysate preparation). The mixture was incubated at 4° C. with rotation for 1 hour. The beads were then washed twice in wash buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 100 mM NaCl, and 30 mM MgCl₂), resuspended in 1 bead volume of SDS sample buffer (75 mM Tris pH 6.8, 2% SDS, 10% glycerol, 5% β-mercaptoethanol, and 2 mg/ml bromophenol blue) and subjected to SDS-PAGE (4-20% gradient). The proteins were transferred to PVDF membranes (Cat# IPVH304F0, Millipore, Bedford, Mass.) and a western blot was perfomed thereafter with anti-RhoA at 0.25 μg/ml (Cat# ARH01, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.), anti-Rac1 at 0.25 μg/ml (Cat# ARC01, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.), anti-Cdc42 at 1 μg/ml (Cat# ACD01, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.). The activated RhoA protein band was detected using primary antibody specifically recognizing RhoA protein and a goat anti-mouse secondary (Jackson Labs., Catalog #115-035-068). The assay was performed at least eight times.

Results Effector-GBD Cloning

All effector-GBD cDNA sequences described in Table 2 were confirmed to match the published Genbank sequences. In addition, the presence of an engineered carboxy terminal cysteine codon was confirmed for ROCK1, PAK1 and WASP constructs.

FIG. 1B details the sequence of the synthetic rhotekin-Cys-GBD domain. Comparison of the synthetic and wild type rhotekin-RBD sequence confirmed that all three internal cystein reidues were removed from the synthetic construct and replaced with glutamic acid (aa#43), leucine (aa#49) and serine (aa#65). The presence of a carboxy terminal cysteine, that was introduced for the purpose of oriented binding to maleimide plates, was also confirmed by sequence analysis (FIG. 1B). cDNAs were cloned using restriction sites recited in Table 2 primers. DNA and amino acid sequence of wild type and modified Rhotekin-Cys-GBD. Amino acid residue changes between wild type and Cys mutant effector-GBD are shown bold and underlined.

Effector Expression and Purity

Typical effector-GBD peptide purities were in the range of 70-80% as determined by scanning densitometry of coomassie stained peptides separated by molecular weight on SDS-PAGE gels (FIG. 1A). Briefly, purified GBD domains of PAK1-GST (30 μg), ROCK1-His (10 μg), WASP-His (20 μg), POSH-His (20 μg), Rhotekin-Cys-no tag (GST tag cleaved with thrombin) (10 μg), Rhotekin wild type GBD-GST (20 μg) and Dia1-GST (15 μg) were loaded on a SDS-PAGE and the protein gel was stained with coomassie blue.

Confirmation of Effector-GBD Biological Activity

The ability of effector-GBD peptides to selectively bind to activated Rho proteins was determined for all effector-GBD peptides with either a GST pull-down (FIG. 1C for the modified Rhotekin-Cys and data not shown) or a G-LISA assay (data not shown and see Example 2). Briefly, 50 μg of purified Rhotekin-Cys GBD mutant beads were incubated with 500 μg GDP or GTPγS loaded platelet extract and the bead precipitated RhoA-GTP was subject to SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis with anti-RhoA antibody.

Discussion

There are currently 21 members of the Rho family, as defined in Wennerberg et al, 2005, J. Cell Sci., 118:843-6 and Schnelzer et al., 2000, Oncogene, 19:3013-3020. These are RhoA, RhoB, RhoC, RhoD, Rnd3, Rnd1, Rnd2, Rif, RhoG, RhoH, Rac1, Rac1b, Rac2, Rac3, Cdc42, TC10, TCL, Wrch-1, Wrch-2, RhoBTB1 and RhoBTB2.

The combination of effector-GBD peptides used in this example are able to selectively bind to the active form of 13 out of 21 or 62% of all Rho family members (see Table 1). This includes the best characterized Rho proteins, namely RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 as indicated from PubMed citations (PubMed citations from 1996-2006; RhoA (2467), Rac1 (1931), Cdc42 (2455), RhoB (283), RhoC (117), RhoD (187), Rnd3 (23), Rnd1 (31), Rnd2 (15), Rif (searched as Rif small G-protein) (5), RhoG (83), RhoH (26), Rac2 (219), Rac3 (85), TC10 (70), TCL (searched as TCL small G-protein) (6), Wrch-1 (6), Wrch-2 (4), RhoBTB1 (4), RhoBTB2 (6), Rac1b (22)). Because any given effector will usually bind to more than one Rho GTPase, assay specificity for detection and quantitation of a particular endogenous Rho GTPase depends upon the combination of effector-GBD and a Rho GTPase specific antibody. Using the combination of effector and antibody to obtain Rho GTPase specificity provides this assay an advantage over other active Rho GTPase detection systems that use effector “specificity” only (Pertz et al., 2004, J. Cell Sci., 117:1313-1318).

The effectors here set forth will be referenced throughout the remaining examples, however, it is understood by those of skill in the area that the methods, assays and the like herein disclosed apply equally well to any Rho effector-GBD. This is particularly true when one considers that the definition of a Rho effector, as defined in Vetter et al., 2001, Science, 294:1299-1304, “Effectors for GTP-binding proteins are operationally defined as molecules interacting more tightly with the GTP-bound than with the GDP-bound form” is accepted by those of skill in the area as the practical definition of a Rho GTPase effector. It will also be understood that the embodiment of this invention is completely dependent upon the practical operational definition of Rho GTPase effectors.

Example 2 Utility of Covalently Linked Effector-GBD Plates in G-LISA Assays

There are many chemistries described in the art for linking a particular peptide to a microtiter plate or microarray (Dent et al., 1998, Bioconjugation, Macmillan Reference Ltd, Chapter 8:505-556). In the broadest terms, linkages can be classified into covalent and non-covalent formats. Both types of linkage are demonstrated herein (see non-covalent linkage, Example 7). The example described herein details a method of covalent linkage through maleimide activated plates.

Covalent linkage of peptides to microtiter plates through activated surface groups occurs when electrons are shared between atoms to generate chemical bonds. While the reactions forming such bonds are always theoretically reversible, the low probability of the reverse reaction occurring in practice results in products that can be thought of as permanent (Dent et al., Bioconjugation, Macmillan Reference Ltd, 1998, p. 218-342). The essentially irreversible nature of peptide linkage has the potential advantage of forming a very stable effector-GBD matrix that will not suffer from biomolecule loss, displacement or surface migration (Larsson et al., 1987, J. Immunol. Meth, 98:129135; Dent et al., 1998, Bioconjugation: Protein Coupling Techniques for the Biomedical Sciences, Chapter 8, Other Categories of protein Coupling, p. 505-556). For this reason, it was decided to pursue a covalent linkage format (but see also non-covalent linkage in Example 7).

There are many types of covalent linkage plate chemistries available to link peptides to plates including, but not limited to, the N-oxysuccinimide (NOS) sufaces that covalently couple primary amine groups (Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Rockford, Ill.) and the Univer-BIND™ plate that reacts with aliphatic carbon-hydrogen bonds (Corning, Inc., NY). The plate chemistry that is described in this example is the maleimide plate, these are available commercially and are designed to immobilize biomolecules through available −SH moieties, usually from a cysteine residue in the coupling peptide. Examples of maleimide activated microplates include, but are not limited to, polystyrene microplates such as Costar's Sulfhydryl Binding Plates and Strips (Corning, Inc. Corning, N.Y.), Reacti-Bind™ Maleimide Activated Plates (Pierce Biotechnology, Inc. Rockford, Ill.) and maleimide activated microwell plates—sulfhydryl-TRAP™ (NoAb Biodiscoveries, Inc. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada). Linkage through a cysteine residue provided the opportunity to engineer peptides that contained a single cysteine and that could, therefore, be oriented on the plate (see Example 1). Homogenous effector orientation is predicted to yield more reproducible plates with lower overall coefficients of variation (Dent et al., 1998, Bioconjugation: Protein Coupling Techniques for the Biomedical Sciences, Chapter 8, Other Categories of protein Coupling, p. 505-556).

Materials and Methods Covalent Attachment of Effector-GBD Peptides to Maleimide Plates

Effector-GBD peptide (ROCK1, POSH or WASP, see Table 2) was diluted in coating buffer (PBS pH 7.2, plus 1 mM EDTA) to a final concentration 0.05 mg/ml and 5 μg of peptide was added to the wells of maleimide plates (Corning Inc., Catalog #2510). Plates were incubated at 21° C. for 2 hours, washed twice in PBS pH 7.2. Plates were blocked for 1 hour at room temperature with milk (typically 0.1-5%, depending upon effector-GBD). After two washes with PBS (pH 7.2), Lyophilization Buffer was added to each well (5% sucrose and 1% dextran) and the plates were lyophilized and stored desiccated at 4° C.

Constitutively Active Recombinant Rho Proteins

A glutamine to leucine mutation in amino acid 63 of RhoA or amino acid 61 of Rac1 and Cdc42 results in a peptide that is unable to hydrolyse GTP and is therefore constitutively active (Xu et al., 1994, J. Biol. Chem., 269:23569-23574; and Nobes et al., 1994, Curr. Op. Gen. Dev., 4:77-81). The mutant proteins are commercially available as histidine taged peptides (Cytoskeleton Inc. Catalog #R6301 (constitutively active RhoA), R6101 (constitutively active Rac1) and C6101 (constitutively active Cdc42). Typically, constitutively active protein was diluted to 0.2 ng/μl in Cell Lysis buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 300 mM NaCl, 2% IGEPAL, 0.01% SDS, and 10 mM MgCl₂) and 1-5 ng of protein was used in a G-LISA assay.

Production of In Vitro Nucleotide Loaded Cell Lysates

Cell lysates can be loaded with either GTP, GTPγS or GDP and have been widely used as controls for the standard pull-down assays (Knaus et al., 1992, J. Biol. Chem., 267:23575-23582). Artificially loaded lysates also provided robust substrates for the development of a given G-LISA assay. Human platelet extract at 4 mg/ml in Cell Lysis Buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 300 mM NaCl, 2% IGEPAL, 0.01% SDS, and 10 mM MgCl₂) was clarified by centrifugation at 8,000 g, 4° C. for 3 minutes. EDTA was added to a final concentration of 15 mM. GTPγS, GTP or GDP, at 1 mM final concentration, were added to separate aliquots of clarified lysates. Each lysate was incubated for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the exchange (loading) of nucleotide to Rho proteins. Loading reactions were stopped by the addition of 60 mM MgCl₂. Lysates were diluted to 0.5 mg/ml in Cell Lysis Buffer and used in G-LISA assays. Typically 7-15 μg of loaded platelet cell lysate was used for each G-LISA assay. Platelets loaded with GTP are referred to as labile GTP extracts throughout this example.

G-LISA Assays

Active Rho protein (typically 7-15 μg total cell lysate or 1-5 ng of constitutively active recombinant protein) were either added directly to the effector bound G-LISA plate (Rac1 and Cdc42 G-LISAs) or diluted with an equal volume of Binding Buffer (20% PEG 8000, Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) prior to adding to effector bound plates (RhoA G-LISA). The reactions were incubated for 30 minutes at 4° C. on a microtiter titer plate shaker after which wells were washed once with 200 μl of PBST (PBS pH 7.2, 0.05% Tween-20) and immediately treated with 200 μl of Antigen Presenting Buffer (1% trichloroacetic acid (TCA)) for 2-5 minutes at room temperature. Wells were then washed three times with 200 μl each of PBST and primary antibody is added typically at 1 μg/ml (RhoA specific), 0.25 μg/ml (Rac1 specific), 1 μg/ml (Cdc42 specific) and incubated at room temperature for 45 minutes (incubation at 4° C. gave similar results). Wells are washed three times with 200 μl each of PBST and incubated with appropriate secondary antibody for 45 minutes at room temperature (incubation at 4° C. gave similar results). For RhoA and Rac1 reactions goat anti-mouse secondary at 2 μg/ml is used, for RhoA,B,C reactions donkey anti-chicken secondary at 0.5 μg/ml is used, for Cdc42 reactions goat anti-sheep secondary antibody is used at 0.5 μg/ml. After three washes each of 200 μl PBST the activated Rho proteins are detected using absorbance or luminescence detection as described below.

Measuring G-LISA Assays with Absorbance or Luminometry

Absorbance is measured at OD490 in a spectrophotometer (SpectraMax 250, Molecular Devices) after addition of 50 μl of OPD substrate (Sigma Catalog #P9187) for 15 minutes at 37° C. followed by addition of 50 μl of stop buffer (1M sulfuric acid). Luminescence was measured in a SpectroFluor Plus (Techan Inc.) after addition of 50 μl of lumigen reagent (Lumigen Inc., Catalog #PSA-100), typical settings were 100-150 gain and 10-100 ms integration.

Antibodies

Primary and secondary antibodies used for G-LISA assays in the example set forth and when stated, in other examples set forth are: anti-RhoA (Clone 384 or Part#GL01 in Cat#BK124, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.), anti-RhoA,B,C (clone 419 or Part#GL04 in Cat#BK120) anti-Rac1 (Part#GL06 in Catalog #BK122h, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.), anti-Cdc42 (Catalog #ACD02, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.), goat anti-mouse and donkey anti-sheep (Catalog #115-035-068 and 313-005-045, Jackson ImmunoResearch labs. Inc., West Grove, Pa.).

Results Utility of Effector-GBD Maleimide Plates for Detection of Specific Rho GTPases

Published estimates of cellular levels of a given Rho GTPase typically fall into the 1×10⁻⁴ ng per cell range (2003, J. Immunol., 170:5652-5657; and Quinn et al., 1993, J. Biol. Chem., 268:20983-20987). Further, based upon published data, one can assume approximately 2-10% of a particular Rho GTPase is typically activated in response to any particular stimulus (Ren et al., 1999, EMBO J., 18:578-585; Bernard et al., 1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204; and Werner et al., 2002, J. Cell Biol., 158:357-368). Further, based upon published data, a standard pull-down assay typically requires 1×10⁶ to 1×10⁷ cells or 300-800 μg of total cellular protein (Benard et al., 2002, Meth. Enz., 345:349-359; Ren et al., 2000, Meth. Enz., 325:265-272; and Werner et al., 2002, J. Cell Biol., 158:357-368), this amount of lysate is equivalent to approximately 100-1000 ng of a particular Rho protein (both active and inactive conformation combined). Therefore, assuming 2-10% activation of a particular Rho GTPase in response to a particular stimulus, one is looking at a signal for active Rho GTPase in the range of 2-100 ng for a standard pull-down assay.

Taking the above calculations into consideration, initial tests of the G-LISA using 5 ng of recombinant constitutively active Rho GTPases were performed. This amount of protein was considered to be close to the lower levels of detection for the pull-down assay and, because it was desirable to eventually use considerably less than 300-800 μg of cell lysate, the initial tests should be designed such that a fairly stringent level of detection could be obtained. Using the constitutively active forms of the Rho GTPases was a logical choice for initial tests as they present a clearly defined and easily interpretable system.

Rho effectors typically bind to more than one isotype of activated Rho protein (see Example 1, Table 1). For example, ROCK1 (and ROCK1-GBD) recognize the active form of RhoA, RhoB and RhoC and RhoE/Rnd3 (Fujisawa, 1996, J. Biol. Chem., 271:23022; and Riento et al., 2003, Mol. Cell. Biol., 23:4219). Specificity of a particular G-LISA assay is therefore dependent upon the choice of both effector and antibody. Thus, in the example of a ROCK1-GBD plate (FIG. 2A) RhoA specificity is imparted by the use of the ROCK-GBD plate in combination with a RhoA specific antibody (clone 384).

Referring to FIG. 2A, lysis buffer only (Blank), 5 ng of RhoA (63L), Cdc42 (61L) or Rac1 (61L) were subjected to a RhoA G-LISA assay as detailed in materials and methods, and RhoA signal was detected by luminometry as described in materials and methods. FIG. 2A shows that the ROCK1-GBD maleimide plate (ROCK plate) used in combination with a RhoA specific antibody (clone 384) gave a signal 6-fold above background (buffer only) with 5 ng of constitutively active RhoA. Constitutively active Cdc42 and Rac1 did not give a signal above background for this plate. It can therefore be concluded that the ROCK1-GBD plate is able to bind to active RhoA and that the RhoA antibody can specifically detect this level of protein above background. Antibody 384 is specific for RhoA, as demonstrated in FIG. 7A. The rhotekin-Cys effector-GBD was tested to selectively bind to RhoA. This modified effector-GBD gave a signal for constitutively active RhoA 6-fold above background (data not shown).

Referring to FIG. 2B, lysis buffer only (Blank), 5 ng of Rac1 (61L), or RhoA (63L) were subjected to a Rac1 G-LISA assay as detailed in materials and methods (Example 2), and Rac1 signal was detected by absorbance at 490 nm as described in materials and methods (Example 2). In a similar manner, FIG. 2B shows that a POSH bound maleimide plate (POSH plate) used in combination with a Rac1 specific antibody (GL06, Cat# BK122h) gave a signal 9-fold above background with 5 ng of constitutively active Rac1. As predicted, constitutively active RhoA gave a signal barely above background.

Referring to FIG. 2C, lysis buffer only (Blank), 5 ng of Cdc42 (61L) or Rac1 (61L) were subjected to a Cdc42 G-LISA assay as detailed in materials and methods (Example 2), and Cdc42 signal was detected by absorbance at 490 nm as described in materials and methods (Example 2). FIG. 2C shows that a WASP bound maleimide plate (WASP plate) used in combination with a Cdc42 specific antibody (Catalog #ACD02, Cytoskeleon Inc., Denver, Colo.) gave a signal 5-fold above background with 5 ng of constitutively active Cdc42. As predicted, constitutively active Rac1 did not give a signal above background.

In conclusion, the data in FIG. 2 establishes that the maleimide linked effector-GBD's retain the ability to recognize their target active Rho GTPase. Further, in combination with the appropriate antibody, low nanogram levels of the specific active Rho GTPase can be detected.

Utility of Effector-GBD Maleimide Plates for Discrimination Between Active and Inactive Rho GTPases

The G-LISA assays are not only required to detect signal from a particular activated Rho GTPase, they must also be able to distinguish between the active (GTP bound) and inactive (GDP bound) states of a particular Rho protein. The effector-GBD maleimide plates were tested using artificially loaded platelet extracts (see Materials and Methods for details). The artificially loaded extracts in this example have had their endogenous GTPases loaded in vitro with either GTPγS (a slowly hydrolysable GTP analog) or GDP. As the GTPγS is essentially non-hydrolysable the signal from activated samples is very stable. This is in contrast to a normal cell lysate in which the Rho GTPase would be succeptible to GTPase Activating Protein (GAP) enhanced GTP hydrolysis and consequent inactivation (Moon et al, 2003, Trends Cell Biol., 13:13-22). It is accepted by those of skill in the art that lysates containing endogenous Rho proteins artificially loaded in a fixed active state are useful in experiments where one requires robust activation of Rho (typically >10% activation) with limited involvement of Rho hydrolysis (Liseti et al., 2004, J. Biol. Chem., 279:5055).

Referring to FIG. 3A, lysis buffer only, 25 μl of GDP or GTPγS labeled platelet extracts (0.5 mg/ml) (or 15 μg) were mixed with same volume of Binding Buffer and subjected to a standard RhoA G-LISA assay. RhoA signal was detected by luminometry as described in materials and methods. ROCK-GBD maleimide plates were used. The results show that the binding properties of the ROCK plate allow clear differentiation between active RhoA (GTPγS) and inactive (GDP) RhoA, with active RhoA having a 7-fold higher signal than inactive RhoA in this assay.

Referring to FIG. 3B, 50 μl of lysis buffer only, GDP or GTPγS labeled platelet extracts (0.5 mg/ml) (or 15 μg) were subjected to a Rac1 G-LISA assay as detailed in the materials and methods. Rac1 signal was detected by absorbance at 490 nm as described in the materials and methods. POSH-GBD maleimide plates were used. The results show that the binding properties of the POSH plate allow clear differentiation between active Rac1 (GTPγS) and inactive (GDP) Rac1, with active Rac1 having a 30-fold higher signal than inactive Rac1 in this assay.

In conclusion, the data in FIG. 3 establishes that the maleimide linked effector-GBDs retain the ability to distinguish active from inactive forms of a particular Rho GTPase. Furthermore, the active Rho GTPase signal could be detected using luminometry (FIG. 2A) or absorbance (FIG. 2B) based methods.

Example 3 Development of Antigen Presenting Buffer for the G-LISA

Initial attempts to detect active Rho GTPases in the RhoA:ROCK and Rac1:POSH G-LISA assays were not successful because a signal that was significantly above background in either assays (FIGS. 5A (untreated) and 5B (no APB)) could not be obtained. An initial strategy was to develop an ELISA based assay by following a protocol essentially analogous to the original pull-down assays described by Benard et al. for the Rac1:PAK pull-down assay (1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204) and Ren et al. and Kranenburg at al. for the RhoA:Rhotekin pull-down assay (1999, EMBO J., 18:578; and 1999, Mol. Biol. Cell, 10:1851-1857, respectively). The same procedure has been used for pull-down assays using ROCK, Citron, Dia and WASP (Kimura et al., 2000, J. Biol. Chem., 275:17233-17236, and Edlund et al., 2002, Mol. Biol. Cell, 13:902-914). Briefly, maleimide plates were coated with effector, active Rho GTPases in standard pull-down lysis buffer (50 mM Tris, pH 7.2, 1% Triton X-100, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, 0.1% SDS, 500 mM NaCl, 10 mM MgCl₂ for RhoA assays; 50 mM Tris, pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl₂, 200 mM NaCl, 1% Nonidet P-40, 5% glycerol for Rac1 and Cdc42) was introduced into the wells and incubated for 1 hour at 4° C. with shaking (400 rpm), the wells were then washed with standard pull-down wash buffer (50 mM Tris, pH 7.2, 1% Triton X-100, 150 mM NaCl, 10 mM MgCl₂ for RhoA; 25 mM Tris, pH 7.6, 1 mM DTT, 30 mM MgCl₂, 40 mM NaCl, 1% Nonidet P-40 for Rac1) and the reactions were developed using Rho GTPase specific primary antibodies (Cat.# ARH01, Cytoskeleton Inc. for RhoA, Cat# ARC01, Cytoskeleton Inc. for Rac1) and anti-mouse or anti-rabbit secondary antibodies respectively (Jackson Labs). After 3 washes in TBST, the reactions were developed using absorbance or luminescence detection. Absorbance was measured at OD₄₉₀ in a spectrophotometer (SpectraMax 250, Molecular Devices) after addition of 50 μl of OPD substrate (Sigma Catalog #P9187) for 15 minutes at 37° C. followed by addition of 50 μl of stop buffer (1M sulfuric acid). Luminescence was measured in a SpectroFluor Plus (Techan Inc.) after addition of 50 μl of lumigen reagent (Lumigen Inc., Catalog #PSA-100), typical settings were 100-150 gain and 10-100 ms integration. It should be noted that a standard checkerboard titration for ELISA based antibody concentration optimizations (Crowther, 2001, Meth. Mol. Biol., 149:83-113) was used. In addition, the antibodies used in these G-LISA assays have been shown to work very well in pull-down assays (they are components in Cytoskeleton Pull-Down Assay Kits, Cat# BK034 (Cdc42), BK035 (Rac1) and BK036 (RhoA)). Extensive tests of various blockers, reaction buffers, temperature of incubations, and antibody dilution buffers were also performed. The failure of the G-LISA to work under the standard conditions that have been applied to all pull-down assays suggested that there are one or more fundamental differences between the two assay formats.

Without being bound to any particular theory, one possible reason for failure of the G-LISA approach under standard pull-down conditions could be the fact that very low concentrations of effector bound to the plate were used—this is discussed in the next Example (Use of Binding Buffer in the G-LISA). It was also possible that antibodies capable of recognizing a signal in the western blot analysis of pull-down assays are not able to recognize the Rho GTPase in the G-LISA format—this possibility is discussed in Example 5 (Development of Optimized Antibodies for the G-LISA Assays). A further possibility, and the subject of the Example disclosed herein, was that the G-LISA effector:GTPase complex is lost during the incubation processes of the G-LISA assay.

The pull-down assay captures active Rho GTPases with effector-bound beads or discs and, after a wash step, the active Rho GTPase must be eluted from beads in order to be analysed by western blot detection (Benard et al., 1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204; Ren et al., 1999, EMBO J., 18:578; Kranenburg at al., 1999, Mol. Biol. Cell, 10:1851-1857; and Sun et al., 2006, Microcirculation, 13:237-247). A major difference between the Rho GTPase pull-down assays and the G-LISA assay, is the fact that the G-LISA assay is dependent upon the Rho GTPase being associated with the solid support matrix to which the effector is bound, such as, but not limited to a microtiter plate, throughout the assay. One aim of the experiments in the Example disclosed herein was to a) determine if there was any dissociation of GTPase from the solid matrix throughout the G-LISA, and b) determine ways to prevent loss of the Rho GTPase, if necessary, and, thus, obtain quantitative results for Rho GTPase activation.

Materials and Methods Western Analysis of G-LISA Rho GTPase Effector Binding

Constitutively active RhoA GTPase protein (R63) and GTP loaded platelet extract capable of GTP hydrolysis was used to examine dissociation of effector:GTPase over time. The G-LISA assay was perfomed as follows: R63 protein (10 ng per assay) or GTP loaded platele extract (25 μg) were incubated with ROCK-GBD effector bound to maleimide plates, incubations were at 4° C. for 30 minutes with shaking at 400 rpm. The reaction was washed twice with 200 μl TBST to remove unbound Rho GTPase. At this point, samples from several wells were eluted with SDS buffer (5% SDS, 63 mM Tris pH 6.8, 5% mercaptoethanol, 10% glycerol) and pooled for later western analysis. The remaining reactions were incubated for 45 minutes in primary anti-RhoA antibody (clone 384) at room temperature with shaking 400 rpm. After 3 washes in TBST, samples from several wells were eluted as above in SDS buffer and saved for later analysis. The remaining reactions were incubated for 45 minutes in secondary anti-chicken antibody at room temperature with shaking 400 rpm. After 3 washes in TBST, samples from several wells were eluted as above in SDS buffer and saved for later analysis. Western analysis was performed using the anti-RhoA mouse monoclonal antibody.

RhoA Antigen Presenting Buffer Tests

Platelet cell lysates loaded with GTPγS or GDP nucleotides (10 μg total cell lysate per assay) were diluted with an equal volume of Binding Buffer (20% PEG 8000, Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) prior to adding to ROCK effector bound plates. The reactions were incubated for 30 minutes at 4° C. on a microtiter titer plate shaker after which wells were washed once with 200 μl of PBST (PBS pH 7.2, 0.05% Tween-20) and immediately treated with one of the following chemical/physical treatments: microwaving for 3 minutes in the presence of 200 μl PBS; microwaving for 3 minutes dry; microwaving for 3 minutes in the presence of 200 μl of 8M urea; 200 μl methanol for 2 minutes; 200 μl ethanol for 2 minutes; 200 μl of 0.5% SDS for 2 minutes, 200 μl of 10% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) for 2 minutes at room temperature. Wells were then washed three times with 200 μl each of PBST and RhoA primary antibody (B384) was added at 1 μg/ml and incubated at room temperature for 45 minutes. Wells were washed three times with 200 μl each of PBST and incubated with anti-mouse secondary antibody (Jackson Labs) for 45 minutes at room temperature. After three washes each of 200 μl PBST, the activated Rho proteins were detected using luminescence detection. Luminescence was measured in a SpectroFluor Plus (Techan Inc.) after addition of 50 μl of lumigen reagent (Lumigen Inc., Catalog #PSA-100).

Test of TCA Benefit in Rac1 G-LISA

Constitutively active recombinant Rac1 (5 ng) in cell lysis buffer, or cell lysis buffer alone, were added directly to a POSH effector-bound G-LISA plate. The reactions were incubated for 30 minutes at 4° C. on a microtiter titer plate shaker after which wells were washed once with 200 μl of PBST (PBS pH 7.2, 0.05% Tween-20) and immediately treated with 200 μl of Antigen Presenting Buffer (1% trichloroacetic acid (TCA)) for 2-5 minutes at room temperature. Wells were then washed three times with 200 μL each of PBST and primary Rac1 antibody was added at 1 μg/ml and incubated at room temperature for 45 minutes. Wells were washed three times with 200 μl each of PBST and incubated with anti-mouse secondary antibody for 45 minutes at room temperature. After three washes each of 200 μl PBST, the activated Rho proteins were detected using absorbance detection. Absorbance was measured at OD₄₉₀ in a spectrophotometer (SpectraMax 250, Molecular Devices) after addition of 50 μl of OPD substrate (Sigma Catalog #P9187) for 15 minutes at 37° C. followed by addition of 50 μl of stop buffer (1M sulfuric acid).

Results

In order to examine dissociation of GTPase from effector in a system permitting GTP hydrolysis 25 μl of GTP labeled platelet extract (2 mg/ml) was subjected to a standard RhoA G-LISA in a ROCK coated maleimide plate. The bound activated RhoA was eluted with SDS buffer at different stages of G-LISA assay. The bound RhoA was eluted with SDS buffer at different stages of G-LISA assay (after a 30 minute incubation in a ROCK plate (Lane 1), after a 45 minute primary antibody incubation (Lane 2), after a 90 minute secondary antibody incubation (Lane 3)). The eluted Rho was then subjected to SDS-PAGE and Western blot with anti-RhoA antibody. To examine dissociation of GTPase from effector in a system that did not permit GTP hydrolysis 10 ng of RhoA (63L) was subjected to a standard RhoA G-LISA. The bound RhoA (63L) was eluted with SDS buffer at different stages of G-LISA assay (after a 30 minute incubation in a ROCK plate (Lane 4), after a 45 minute primary antibody incubation (Lane 5), after a 90 minute secondary antibody incubation (Lane 6)). The eluted Rho was then subjected to SDS-PAGE and Western blot with anti-RhoA antibody. The top and bottom figures are identical except for the length of exposure of the developing film. The shorter exposure allows a more quantitative look at the 63L signal while the longer exposure is better for viewing the loss of sugnal in the endogenous RhoA samples. The 63L recombinant constitutively active RhoA protein runs higher than endogenous RhoA due to the presence of a His tag on 63L.

The results in FIG. 4 show the active RhoA signal from a hydrolysis deficient mutant RhoA protein (L63) is reduced by 10% after the primary antibody incubation (FIG. 4, compare Lanes 4 and 5) and by 40% at the end of the secondary antibody incubation (FIG. 4, compare Lanes 4 and 6). The reduction in signal in the GTP loaded RhoA samples is 60% after the primary antibody incubation (FIG. 4, compare Lanes 1 and 2) and >90% after the secondary antibody incubation (FIG. 4, compare Lanes 1 and 3). The enhanced loss of signal in the GTP samples is likely due to hydrolysis of the GTPase during the course of the assay (Benard et al., 2002, Meth. Enz., 345:349-359). In this regard, the signal loss over time is also significantly higher in platelet extracts loaded with GTP than in platelets loaded with non-hydrolysable GTPgS samples (data not shown). Taken together the data strongly supports that RhoA signal loss in this assay is due to both simple dissociation and dissociation due to deactivation of the RhoA by GTP hydrolysis. In this regard, an attempt to slow down dissociation by carrying out the antibody incubations at 4° C. and keeping all buffers at 4° C. did not improve the signal to noise of the assays (data not shown).

It was concluded that it was necessary to develop assay conditions that prevented, or minimized, loss of GTPase from the reaction.

Several physical (heat denaturation) and/or chemical treatments for antigen complex stability were evaluated. Crosslinkers such as gluteraldehyde, protein precipitation reagents such as methanol and ethanol and trichloroacetic acid (TCA), chaotrophs such as urea, and denaturants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were chosed for the initial studies.

Referring to FIG. 5A, lysis buffer only (untreated), 15 μg of GDP- or GTPγS-labeled platelet extracts were subjected to a RhoA G-LISA assay. After extract incubation, the plate was treated with MW+PBS, MW/Dry, MW/8 M urea, methanol, ethanol, 0.5% SDS, 10% TCA or no treatment followed by antibody incubation and luminescence detection. MW=5 minute microwave treatment. White bars show GDP signal, grey bars show GTPγS signal. Referring to FIG. 5B, lysis buffer only (Blank) or 5 ng of Rac1 (61L) were subjected to Rac1 G-LISA assay as described in the materials and methods except that the assays were performed either with or without Antigen Presenting Buffer treatment (1% TCA or No APB respectively) Rac1 signal was detected by absorbance at 490 nm as described in the materials and methods.

It was discovered that several chemical and/or physical treatments such as the combination of microwaving (heat denaturation) in the presence of 8M urea dramatically improved the detection of active RhoA proteins in G-LISA assays (MW+UREA 8M, FIG. 5A). Microwaving in PBS gave a greatly increased signal for GTPγS binding. The high cv values, however, were a problem with this method (MW+PBS, FIG. 5A). Microwaving in the absence of buffer gave poor differentiation between GTPγS and GDP samples (MW+DRY, FIG. 5A). Of the other treatments tested, glutaraldehyde (data not shown) and ethanol gave a consistently positive signal for active RhoA above background (FIG. 5A). Treatment with methanol or 0.5% SDS did not give any significant signal for active RhoA above background. The treatment of the plate with 200 μl of 10% TCA for 2 minutes at room temperature yielded signal for GTPγS RhoA that was approximately 8-fold higher than the GDP RhoA signal (10% TCA, FIG. 5A).

Upon further studies, it was found that out of several acid conditions tested, including acetic acid (data not shown), treatment of the effector:GTPase complex (after washing) with 1% TCA for 2 minutes at room temperature was a suitable choice of Antigen Presenting Buffer treatment for RhoA:ROCK and Rac1:POSH G-LISA assays. The benefit of the Antigen Presenting Buffer in the Rac1:POSH G-LISA is demonstrated in FIG. 5B. A 2 minute incubation in Antigen Presenting Buffer results in a signal from constitutively active Rac1 (5 ng) that is 7-fold above background. Omitting the Antigen Presenting Buffer results in an assay that cannot detect active Rac1 above background (Cell Lysis Buffer alone).

Discussion

Loss of signal during antibody incubations was found to occur in all G-LISA formats tested, however the degree of loss varied according to effector:GTPase pair analysed. For example, RhoA:ROCK, Rac1:POSH, Rac1:PAK1 (FIG. 9), lost >80% of signal in the absence of TCA while Rho-Dia1 only lost approximately 50% and Cdc42:WASP lost only 20% signal (data not shown). Rho effector-GBD peptides can significantly slow down the intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis for Rho proteins but do not prevent this process (Leonard et al., 1997, Biochem., 36:1173-1180; and Bernard et al., 1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204). Hence, the degree to which GTPase dissociation occurs will depend upon, amongst other things, the affinity of a particular effector for its active GTPase target and the ability of the effector to prevent GTP hydrolysis of its GTPase target.

A further factor predicted to enhance loss of Rho GTPase signal is a high intrinsic rate of hydrolysis of the GTPase. In this regard, Ras GTPases have a much slower intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis than Rho GTPases (Neal et al., 1989, J. Biol. Chem., 261:10963; and Self et al., 1995, Meth. Enz., 256:67-76). Hence, loss of signal due to hydrolysis is unlikely to be as much of an issue with a Ras based G-LISA assay. For example, published affinities for Rac1:PAK and Ras:Raf1 are both approximately 20 nM. Therefore, it would be predicted, despite the similar effector affinities, that the Ras assay will be far less dependent upon Antigen Presenting Buffer than the Rac1:PAK assay that clearly benefit from this step (FIG. 9).

Several chemical and physical treatments were tested for their ability to attenuate loss of Rho GTPase. While many of the treatments, for example 8M urea combined with heat treatment gave enhanced signal, it was discovered that 1% (60 mM) TCA treatment of the complex for 2 minutes at room temperature appeared to be a suitable method of complex stabilization.

TCA treatment was tested with a wide range of effector:GTPase combinations including, RhoA:rhotekin, RhoA:Dia1, RhoA:ROCK, Rac1:PAK and Rac1:POSH. The TCA treatment enhanced signals in all cases tested. Some G-LISAs such as RhoA:ROCK and Rac1:POSH (FIGS. 5A and 5B) showed a great benefit for TCA Antigen Presenting Buffer while others, such as RhoA:Dia1, gave enhanced RhoA signal with TCA treatment (data not shown). The benefit of Antigen Presenting Buffer was also found to apply to G-LISA assays employing the PAK-GST and rhotekin-GST non-covalent plates (see FIG. 9 and data not shown). This suggests that Rho GTPase loss is not likely to be influenced by a particular plate chemistry and, thus, appears to be a general feature of the G-LISA assay format.

The discoveries herein predict that attenuation of Rho GTPase loss from the G-LISA solid support by treatment with Antigen Presenting Buffer or the like is an important parameter in the development of any particular Rho G-LISA assay. In this regard, that dissociation is time dependent can also be utilized in the general developmental scheme of any effector:Rho G-LISA assay. For example, that dissociation was markedly greater after 90 minutes incubation (40% for constitutively active RhoA and 90% for wild type RhoA) than after 45 minutes (10% and 60% respectively) might suggest a scheme where one uses an HRP conjugated primary antibody or the like to minimize assay time. This scheme could possibly aleviate or make redundant the presence of Antigen Presenting Buffer. Thus, one skilled in the art could effectively utilize the information herein disclosed towards the design of any Rho G-LISA assay.

Example 4 Use of Binding Buffer in the G-LISA

As mentioned in the previous Example, the G-LISA assay did not work when simply adapting the pull-down assay to an ELISA type system. The low levels of both effector (<1 μg) and protein lysates (6-15 μg total lysates) were reasoned herein to possibly be below the critical concentration required for effector:GTPase binding. Accordingly, inclusion of a compound or reagent capable of enhancing protein:protein interactions may push the binding equilibrium in favor of effector:GTPase complex formation. Therefore, the effect of protein:protein interaction enhancers, such as polyethyethylene glycol and the like, were examined in the G-LISA reaction (Kozer et al., 2004, J. Mol. Biol., 336:763-740; and Ingham, 1990, Meth. Enz., 182:301-306).

Materials and Methods Preparation of Activated Cell Lysates

Swiss 3T3 cells were grown in DMEM media supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum until 50% confluent. They were then serum starved for 24 hours prior to treatment with 100 μg/ml calpeptin for 30 minutes to activate RhoA, as described in detail in Example 8. HeLa cells were treated with EGF for 2 minutes to activate Rac1, as described in detail in Example 8.

Results

In the example set forth, the effect of adding increasing amounts of PEG8000 to RhoA and Rac1 G-LISAs was assessed. In the case of RhoA, increasing amounts of PEG (from zero to 10% final concentration) was found to enhance the active RhoA signal obtained from calpeptin treated Swiss 3T3 cells by over an order of magnitude (FIG. 6B, 0% PEG compared to 10% PEG).

Referring to FIG. 6A, 25 μl of serum starved or Calpeptin treated (RhoA activated) Swiss 3T3 cell lysates (0.5 mg/ml) were incubated in a room temperature water bath for 0, 10 or 30 min either in the presence (+) or absence (−) of Binding Buffer (10% PEG 8000, final concentration). Samples were then subject to a standard RhoA G-LISA assay in ROCK maleimide plates, quantitated by reading absorbance at 490 nm. SS is serum starved samples (white bars), RhoA induced samples labeled Calpeptin (grey bars). Referring to FIG. 6B, 25 μl of serum starved or Calpeptin treated (RhoA activated) Swiss 3T3 cell lysates (0.5 mg/ml) were diluted with an equal volume of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% PEG 8000 and immediately subjected to a standard RhoA G-LISA assay in ROCK maleimide plates, samples were quantitated by reading absorbance at 490 nm. SS is serum starved samples (white bars), RhoA induced samples labeled Calpeptin (grey bars). Referring to FIG. 6C, 25 μl of serum starved or EGF treated (Rac1 activated) Hela cell lysates (1 mg/ml) were diluted with an equal volume of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% PEG 8000 and immediately subjected to a standard Rac1 G-LISA assay in POSH maleimide plates. Samples were quantitated by reading absorbance at 490 nm. SS is serum starved samples (white bars), Rac1 induced samples labeled EGF (grey bars). In all cases, AU=Absorbance Units and all readings had buffer only background subtracted.

Rho proteins are very unstable in lysates due to the presence of a large number of GTPase Activating Proteins (GAPs) that act to rapidly hydrolyse Rho proteins (Moon et al., 2003, Trends Cell Biol., 13:13-22). It might therefore be considered likely by one skilled in the art that addition of a protein:protein interaction enhancer to a lysate containing active Rho proteins would be more likely to enhance rapid GTP hydrolysis, by enhancing Rho:GAP interactions, than to enhance Rho:effector interactions (Ren et al., 1999, EMBO J., 18:578). Surprisingly, it was found herein that addition of PEG and the like had an insignificant effect upon RhoA signal after 10 minutes at room temperature (FIG. 6A, +/−10 minutes) and resulted in only a minor loss of RhoA signal after 30 minutes at room temperature (FIG. 6A, +/−30 minutes). The gradual reduction in active RhoA signal over time in FIG. 6A is the result of RhoA inactivation due to GTP hydrolysis (Benard et al., 1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204). Thus, in the RhoA G-LISA, the inclusion of a PEG “Binding Buffer” step was beneficial in producing a highly robust signal from activated RhoA. The benefit of the RhoA G-LISA assay (using a His-ROCK1 plate) for PEG Binding Buffer has been confirmed in several different cell lines, for example 3T3 cells, HeLa cells, Jurkat cells and MDCK cells (data not shown).

In the case of Rac1 increasing amounts of PEG in the G-LISA assay (from zero to 10% final concentration) was found to correlate with a decrease in active Rac1 signal (FIG. 6C). Thus, in this case, PEG appears to be having a negative effect upon the G-LISA signal. It is hypothesised that this is due to enhanced hydrolysis of GTP on active Rac1 due to increased concentrations of Rac GAP proteins. In this regard, it has been reported that Rac1 has a higher intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis and a higher affinity towards GAPs than RhoA (Liget et al., 2004, J. Biol. Chem., 279:5055).

Discussion

The degree to which the inclusion of PEG Binding Buffer or the like will improve or inhibit any given G-LISA assay is likely to depend upon a complex mixture of parameters. These include, the effect of Binding Buffer on GAP activated GTP hydrolysis of a particular Rho protein, the binding constant of a particular effector-GBD for a particular active Rho protein and the amount of effector bound per well.

Example 5 Development of Optimized Antibodies for the G-LISA Assays

As mentioned in the previous example, initial attempts to achieve a differential signal between activated and non-activated Rho GTPase proteins in a G-LISA assay did not yield positive results. It was previously determined by western blot analysis of proteins eluted from pooled wells of a G-LISA plate, that the effector-GBD plates could capture constitutively active Rho GTPases (see FIG. 4). This promted the development of a screening strategy for the production of G-LISA optimized monoclonal antibodies. The example below describes the development of a RhoA specific antibody (clone 384) and a Rho A,B,C specific antibody (clone 419).

Materials and Methods

RhoA and RhoA,B,C specific antibodies were developed as follows: a Rho peptide (CDEHTRRELAKMKQEPVKPEEGRD; SEQ ID NO:110) was synthesized (Bachem Inc., King of Prussia, Pa.) and congugated to KLH using an Imject Kit (Pierce, Rockford, Ill. 61105; Catalog #0077610) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Efficiency of KLH-peptide conjugation was determined using Ellman's reagent to measure free cysteins (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo., Catalog #D8130) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Six week old mice (BALB/c) were immunized with 50 μg of KHL-conjugated peptide. Subsequent injections were performed approximately 10-15 days apart. After testing bleeds with a standard ELISA assay and western blot assay against recombinant RhoA (Catalog #RH01, Cytoskeleton Inc., Denver, Colo.), a candidate mouse was selected and given a final boost intravenously in saline solution. The mouse was sacrificed 3 days later. Spleen cells were fused to myeloma cells and hybridomas were selected by ELISA assays against RhoA and RhoC peptides, western blots against RhoA, RhoB, RhoC peptides and platelet extracts and in G-LISA assays. Platelet lysates loaded with GDP or GTPγS were used in the G-LISA screen (method descibed in Example 2). An increase in GTPγS loaded Rho signal over GDP loaded Rho indicated that the antibody may be useful in a G-LISA assay. Clones and purified antibodies were produced by standard procedures outlined in Harlow and Lane, 1988, Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York.

Secondary antibody, goat anti-mouse was obtained from Jackson Immunoresearch Labs., West Grove, Pa. (Catalog #115-035-068).

Results

Hybridomas were screened in three separate assays, a standard ELISA assay, a standard western blot assay and a Rho G-LISA assay. Results are outlined below and in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Referring to FIG. 7A, standardized dilutions (1:500) of each antibody (clones 248, 362, 384, 419, 465, 505, 591, 603, 621, 660, 733, 942, 957, 977, 979, 1019, 1157, 1164, 1281, and 1324) were analysed by western blotting. Samples of recombinant Rho A, B and C (50 ng each) and 20 μg of platelet extracts were used as samples for analysis of antibody specificity and relative sensitivity (Western Ranking). Goat anti-mouse secondary antibody was used at 1:10,000 dilution. Blots were developed using chemilluminescence detection (Pierce west Dura). The strongest signals from platelet extracts was ranked #1, the lowest was ranked 10^(th), N=no signal under conditions used. Standard absorbance ELISA plates were coated with recombinant RhoA or RhoC and the antibodies above were tested in a standard absorbanced based assay against both antigens as described in Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, Ed. Harlow and Lane, Cold Spring Harbor Press, 1988, Chapter 6:174-194. Antibodies with the strongest ELISA signal for RhoA were ranked highest. For G-LISA assays the antibodies were used in a standard RhoA G-LISA assay to detect signals from 12.5 μg of GDP- or GTPγS-loaded platelet extracts on ROCK maleimide plates. All antibodies were tested at the 1:500 dilution only, anti-mouse secondary antibody was used at 1 μg/ml final concentration. Those antibodies giving the highest ratio of GTPγS to GDP were ranked highest. Referring to FIG. 7B, the raw data generated as described in FIG. 7A is shown.

Clones 362 and 621 gave the strongest ELISA signal and clone 1157 gave the weakest. Antibody specificity could also be determined from this screen, for example clones 362 and 621 reacted strongly in both RhoA and RhoC ELISAs while clones 384 and 465 where RhoA specific.

The western blot screen used RhoA, RhoB and RhoC recombinant proteins and a platelet extract as potential targets for the antibody panel. Clones in FIG. 7A were ranked based upon the RhoA or RhoA,B,C signal generated from platelet extract. For example, clone 979 gave the strongest signal (densitometry) while clones 248, 362, 384, 465, 660, 733, 942, 977, 1019, 1281 and 1324 did not give a detectable signal in platelet extract. All clones (except clone 1157) gave signal with one or more recombinant Rho protein in the western blot analysis and this data was used to determine Rho specificity (FIG. 7A).

The G-LISA assay compared Rho signal from GDP-loaded (inactive Rho) and GTPγS-loaded (active Rho) samples. Clones were ranked according to the ratio of GTPγS to GDP signal where high ratios were considered to be more promising antibodies and so received a correspondinly high ranking. Thus, as detailed in FIG. 7A, clone 384 ranked first in the G-LISA assay with a GTPγS to GDP ratio of 50 while clone 1164 ranked twentieth with a ratio of 0.7.

Discussion

During the course of this development it was discovered that strong reactivity in either western blots or ELISA assays were not predictive of an antibody that would work well in a G-LISA assay (FIGS. 7A and 7B). For example, the two top performing antibodies in a G-LISA screen of 20 hybridomas (clones 384 and 419 respectively), ranked only 6^(th) and 8^(th) out of 20 in the ELISA assay. It is particularly noteworthy that antibodies predicted to work well for pull-down assays, i.e. those ranking highly in the western screen, did not generally work well in G-LISA assays. Indeed the top performing antibody from the G-LISA screen (clone 384) gave no detectable signal in the western blot screen using platelet extracts (FIG. 7A). Similarly, the antibody ranking highest in the ELISA assay (clones 362 and 621) performed very poorly in the G-LISA assay, ranking 16^(th) and 18^(th) out of 20 (FIG. 7A).

Example 6 Use of Non-Clarified Lysates in the G-LISA Assay

In order for the G-LISA assays to be user-friendly in high throughput applications, one would like to eliminate the requirement for a clarification step as this is highly cumbersome and not compatible with HTS formats. In the case of the pull-down assay, a clarification step is necessary because cellular debris cannot be eliminated in the wash steps (beads and debris will pellet together). Also in the pull-down assay, addition of SDS gel loading buffer for SDS-PAGE results in a highly viscous sample (due to DNA release) causing poor sample handling and poor western quantitation. A microtiter plate-based assay such as the G-LISA should not suffer from these drawbacks and one should be able to remove cellular debris with a simple wash step.

Referring to FIG. 8, 25 μl of serum starved or Calpeptin treated (RhoA activated) cell lysates (0.5 mg/ml) were either used directly (Non-Clar samples) or clarified for 5 minutes at 8,000 rpm, 4° C. (Clar. Samples). Lysates were immediately subjected to a standard RhoA G-LISA assay on ROCK maleimide plates. Samples were quantitated by reading luminescence as described in the materials and methods. ALU=Arbitrary Light Units. All readings had buffer only background subtracted.

Results

Calpeptin treated and serum starved cell lysates from Swiss 3T3 cells were prepared as outlined in the materials and methods (Example 8). Half of each lysate was clarified while the other half remained unclarified. All four samples were analysed simultaneously in a RhoA G-LISA assay (as outlined in Example 2). The results in FIG. 8 clearly demonstrate that non-clarified lysates generate activation signals comparable to clarfied lysates.

Discussion

The requirement for a clarification step is an integral component of the pull-down assay protocol (Ren. et al., 1999, EMBO J., 18:578-585; Benard. et al., 1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:13198-13204; Leung et al., 2005, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 102:15207-15212; Kimura et al., 2000, J. Biol. Chem., 275:17233-17236; Kranenburg et al., 1999, Mol. Biol. Cell, 6:1851-1857; Vouret-Craviari et al., 2002, J. Cell Sci., 115:2475-2484; and Subauste et al., 2000, J. Biol. Chem., 275:9725-9733). Attempting to perform the pull-down assay without clarification results in the accumulation of non-specific cellular debris such as cell nuclei and associated proteins. As cellular debris and/or associated proteins cannot be separated from the effector:GTPase complex in this assay, there is a likelihood that samples will be contaminated with inactive GTPase. Further, attempting to omit the clarification step in a pull-down assay will result in the production of a highly viscous material upon addition of SDS sample loading buffer prior to SDS-PAGE and western analysis. The high viscocity is due to lysis of cell nuclei and release of nucleic acids. This results in uneven loading of the SDS-PAGE and consequently highly variable western quantitations. One could reduce viscocity by, for example, DNAse treatment or shear force, however increased manipulatons would further complicate the assay and increase the likelihood of variablity between samples. Yet further, the necessary inclusion of a clarification step in the pull-down assay results in an extra processing step at a point where the GTPase is highly sensitive to GTP hydrolysis (i.e. prior to effector addition). Rho GTPases such as Rac and Cdc42 GTPases that have a high intrinsic rate of hydrolysis are particularly susceptible to this potential problem (Ligeti et al., 2004, J. Biol. Chem., 279:5055).

The ability to eliminate the clarification step in the G-LISA assay is therefore a non-trivial and important improvement over the pull-down assay. It reduces the sample processing time at a point where the GTPase is most sensitive to deactivation by GTP hydrolysis thereby increasing the assay reproducibility. In this regard, the pull-down assays are known by those in the art to have high cv values (40-60% in our hands, data not shown). Elimination of clarification also allows simple sample processing, compatible with high throughput assays such as would be used for diagnostic or drug discovery applications. The pull-down assay is not suited to these applications.

Example 7 Non-Covalent Attachment of Effector-GBDs to Glutathione Plates

As disclosed throughout these examples, one method of linking effector-GBD peptides to plates was through covalent attachment. Use of non-covalent attachment was also investigated. The example herein describes the use of glutathione S transferase tagged effector-GBD peptides linked to glutathione plates.

Materials and Methods Non-Covalent Attachment of Effector-GBD to Glutathione Plates

PAK-GBD-GST peptide was diluted in coating buffer (PBS; 140 mM sodium chloride, 2.7 mM potassium chloride, 10 mM sodium phosphate (dibasic), 1.76 mM potassium phosphate (monobasic) pH 7.2) to a final concentration 0.02 mg/ml and 50 μl (1.0 ng) of protein was added per well to GST-Trap Glutathione coated plates (NoAb Biodiscoveries, Ontario, Canada). Plates were incubated at room temperature for 1 hour. Plates were washed twice in PBS and blocked by addition of 0.1% BSA in PBS pH 7.2 for 1 hour at room temperature.

Referring to FIG. 9, PAK-GBD-GST peptide was coated to glutathione plates (NoAb Biodiscoveries) as outlined above. GDP, GTPγS and constitutively active Rac1L61 were assayed using the standard Rac1 G-LISA assay described above (Example 2). Rac1 signal was detected by absorbance at 490 nm as described in materials and methods (Example 2). All readings had buffer only background subtracted

Results

Constitutively active Rac1, GTPγS- or GDP-loaded platelets were assayed in a G-LISA format (as detailed in Example 2) using PAK-GBD-GST linked plates. The results in FIG. 11 show that the non-covalent G-LISA format is able to identify constitutively active Rac1 above background (buffer only). The constitutively active Rac1 signal is 8-fold above background which is comparable to the signal generated from POSH effector bound covalently to maleimide plates (FIG. 2B, Example 2). The non-covalent PAK-GST assay can differentiate between active and inactive Rac1 protein (FIG. 9, GTPγS (active) and GDP inactive) loaded platelet extract). Although quite sensitive (8-fold activation) the assay is not as robust as the POSH linked maleimide plate G-LISA (30-fold, FIG. 3B, Example 2). The non-covalent PAK-GST assay did not give a signal above background in the absence of Antigen Presenting Buffer (FIG. 9, GTPγS with no Antigen Presenting Buffer).

Discussion

This example demonstrates the utility of a non-covalent plate format for development of G-LISA assays. It can be seen that by following the G-LISA development protocol, one obtains a good signal with the PAK-GST effector linked to glutathione plates (FIG. 9). Interestingly, for this assay, use of Antigen Presenting Buffer (APB) was beneficial for obtaining active Rac1 signal (FIG. 9, GTPγS plus ABP compared to minus APB).

The example describes the use of GST:glutathione linkage, the GTPγS signal generated from the PAK-GST glutathione plate was less than the GTPγS signal generated from a POSH maleimide plate (FIG. 3B) and a PAK maleimide plate (data not shown). For this reason, and the fact that covalent plates generally bind proteins more stably, the covalent maleimide plate format was pursued. However, it has been shown herein that GST:glutathione plates can work well in G-LISAs and it is anticipated that other non-covalent linkages such as polyhistidine:nickel, polyhistidine:cobalt, biotin:streptavidin, biotin:avidin and the like could also be used. Optimization of each plate format could follow the methodologies outlined throughout these examples.

Example 8 Detection Limits and Validation of the G-LISA Assays

All published estimates of the activation (or deactivation) levels of Rho GTPases in cells or tissue samples currently use data generated from standard Rho GTPase pull-down assays (Benard et al., 2002, Meth. Enz., 345:349-359; and Ren et al., 2000, Meth. Enz., 325:265-272). As this assay is clearly established and accepted as the gold standard of quantitation in the field, it was desired to validate the G-LISA by demonstrating that the G-LISA produced activation estimates comparable to those in the pull-down. Thus, it was desired to establish that, while the advantages of the G-LISA assays over the Rho GTPase pull-down assay include greatly enhance the speed, better reproducibility, increased sample throughput, simpler sample handling and smaller sample size, the actual quantitation of active Rho GTPases are comparable in both assays.

Materials and Methods

Production of Activated RhoA Cell Lysates by Induction with Calpeptin

HeLa cells were seeded in DMEM (Gibco. Cat. #10313-021) with 10% FBS. Cells were grown to 50-70% confluency and subsequently serum starved for 24 hours. The cells were then treated with calpeptin (100 ng/μl) for 30 minutes. The cells were harvested in lysis buffer and the lysate protein concentrations were equalized to 4 mg/ml with lysis buffer. The lysates were then diluted accordingly and subjected to a RhoA GLISA assay.

Production of Activated Rac1 and Cdc42 Cell Lysates by Induction with EGF

Hela cells were seeded in DMEM (Gibco. Cat. #10313-021) with 10% FBS. Cells were grown to 50-70% confluency and subsequently serum starved for 24 hours. The cells were then treated with 10 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (EGF) (Sigma. Cat. # E9644) for 2 minutes and harvested in lysis buffer. The lysate concentrations from both serum starved and EGF treated plates were equalized to 1 mg/ml with lysis buffer. The lysates were then subjected to RAC1 or Cdc42 G-LISA assays.

Pull-Down Assays

Assays were performed according to Ren et al. Modified GST rhotekin-GBD peptide was bound to glutathione beads and 20 μg of bead bound effector was added to 500 μl (250 μg) of clarified GTPγS- or GDP-loaded platelet extract (see Example 2 for lysate preparation). The mixture was incubated at 4° C. with rotation for 1 hour. The beads were then washed twice in wash buffer (50 mM Tris pH 7.5, 100 mM NaCl, 30 mM MgCl₂) and subjected to SDS-PAGE (4-20% gradient) and western blot procedures. The activated RhoA protein band was detected using primary antibody specifically recognizing RhoA protein and a goat anti-mouse secondary (Jackson Labs., Catalog #115-035-068). The assay was performed at least four times.

Referring to FIG. 10, 25 μl of serum starved or Calpeptin treated (RhoA activated) Hela cell lysate at concentration of 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.12, 0.06 mg/ml were mixed with same volume of Binding Buffer and subjected to RhoA G-LISA assay followed by absorbance detection. 500 ng of the same lysates were also subjected to GST-Rhotekin-RBD pull-down assay and followed by western blot with anti-RhoA antibody. All readings had buffer only background subtracted.

Referring to FIG. 11, 25 μl of lysis buffer only (0), 0.01, 0.04, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1, 2 ng of RhoA (63L) were mixed with same volume of Binding Buffer and subjected to RhoA G-LISA assay and followed by absorbance detection. All readings had buffer only background subtracted.

Referring to FIG. 12, PAK coated GST plates were prepared as outlined in the materials and methods (Example 7). PAK coated glutathione beads were from Cytoskeleton Inc. (Cat. # PAK02). Various amounts of total cell lysates (actual amounts indicated below bar chart and western blot) from serum starved 3T3 cells (SS) or EGF treated 3T3 cells (to activate Rac1) were assayed by either a standard Rac1 G-LISA assay, as described in Example 2, or by a standard PAK-GST bead pull-down assay as described by Benard et al. (J. Biol. Chem., 1999, 274:13198-13204). G-LISA assays were quantitated by absorbance readings at 490 nm as previously described. Rac1 pull-downs were quantitated by densitometry of western blot chemilluminescent signals. Chemilluminescent detection reagent was Supersignal West Dura Extended Duration Substarte (Pierce). The anti-Rac1 antibody used for the pull-down is sold by Cytoskeleton Inc. in their commercial kit for Rac1 pull-down assays (BK035). The figure shows that the detection limit of the Rac1:PAK G-LISA is about 18- to 30-fold lower than that of the Rac1:PAK pull-down assay.

Referring to FIG. 13A, 50 μl of lysis buffer only, serum starved or EGF treated Hela cell lysate (0.5 mg/ml) were subjected to Rac1 G-LISA assay and followed by absorbance detection. Referring to FIG. 13B, 50 μl of serum starved or EGF treated Hela cell lysate (0.5 mg/ml) were subjected to Cdc42 G-LISA assay as described previously and quantitated by luminometry as previously described. A Cdc42 pull-down assay was carried out in parallel using 500 μg of the same lysates. The antibody used in this assay was identical to the one used in the G-LISA (Cat# ACD01, Cytoskeleton Inc.). Fold activation was quantitated by densiometry of film developed by chemilluminescence. Referring to FIG. 13C, Hela cells were transfected with either 5 μg of vector, p115RhoGEF or p190RhoGAP with lipofectamine. 16 hours after transfection, cells were lysed in cell lysis buffer. 25 μl of lysis buffer only, vector, p115RhoGEF, vector, p190RhoGAP transfected cells (1 mg/ml) were then subjected to RhoA G-LISA assay and quantitated by absorbance detection. A Rho pull-down assay was carried out in parallel using 500 μg of the same lysates, fold activation (for p115RhoGEF) or fold inhibition (for p190 GAP) were quantitated by densiometry of film developed by chemilluminescence.

Results Limits of Detection of RhoA G-LISA

In this example, the limits of G-LISA detection of active RhoA by absorbance based measurements have been determined in two ways. First, the limit of detection of endogenous active (calpeptin induced) RhoA in cell lysates was determined. Second, the limit of detection of pure recombinant constitutively active RhoA was determined

RhoA activation was induced in serum starved HeLa cells by treatment with calpeptin for 30 minutes (Schoenwaelder et al., 1999, J. Biol. Chem., 274:14359-14367). A standard pull-down assay using 500 μg of each lysate (1 mg/ml lysate concentration) was performed (inset in FIG. 10). Densitometric quantitation of the western blot results showed that RhoA (Calpeptin lane in FIG. 4 inset) had been activated by approximately 2-fold above the serum starved lysate (SS lane in FIG. 10 inset). As expected, this result is in good agreement with published data (Schoenwaelder et al., 2000, Current Biol., 10:1523-1526).

In a parallel G-LISA assay, the serum starved and calpeptin lysates were serially diluted to give protein concentrations of 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 mg/ml respectively and 25 μl of lysates were tested in a RhoA G-LISA. Lysate concentrations ranging from 0.25 mg/ml to 2 mg/ml (6.25 μg and 50 μg of total cell lysate respectively) gave approximately 2-fold activation of the calpeptin treated samples when compared to serum starved samples (FIG. 10, fold activation is given above calpeptin titration curve). Thus, for protein concentrations as low as 0.25 mg/ml or a total of 6.25 μg of cell lysate, the RhoA G-LISA results agreed very well with published data and with those of the pull-down assay shown in this example.

At protein concentrations between 0.5-2 mg/ml (typically the concentration of cell lysates) the cv ranged from 11-8%. Even at protein amounts as low as 6.25 μg total cell lysates, the cv value of 16% is acceptable. At lower protein concentrations (0.125 mg/ml or 3.1 μg total cell lysate) the cv values became too high to give meaningful results (>50%) in the RhoA assay, while at the highest protein concentration of 4 mg/ml (100 μg lysates) the cv values were 11%, however, the activation level was slightly below 2-fold (1.7-fold). The reduced fold activation at 4 mg/ml is most likely due to the fact that the active RhoA reading is approaching the saturation point of the absorbance assay (2.5 absorbance units). Interestingly, FIG. 12 shows that the Rac1:POSH assay can detect activated Rac1 from as little as 3 μg of total cell lysates with a cv value of 12%.

To determine the limit of G-LISA absorbance detection for recombinant constitutively active RhoA, protein amounts of 0.01, 0.04, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 ng were added to eight wells each of a ROCK-GBD maleimide plate. The samples were taken through a RhoA G-LISA assay and OD₄₉₀ readings were plotted against protein concentration. The results in FIG. 11 show that the linear range for the absorbance G-LISA is 0.1 ng (cv=6%) to 2 ng (cv=6%). The signal for recombinant constitutively active RhoA appears to begin to be saturated at protein amounts above 4 ng.

To further compare the G-LISA assay with the pull-down assay, the two assays in parallel using the same cell lysates were carried out. HeLa cells were stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) as described in the materials and methods section. It is well documented that EGF transiently activates Rac1, with activation in the range of 2- to 5-fold above unstimulated cells (Kurokawa et al., 2004, Mol. Biol. Cell, 15:100). PAK-GST effector was used in both types of assay and both assays were carried out according to standard methods described in Examples 2 and 3 respectively. It can be seen from FIG. 12 that approximately 2-fold activation from the G-LISA using total lysates protein of 3 μg-12.5 μg was detected while the pull-down assay could detect signal (about 2.5-fold activation) in a 100 μg sample but not in 50 μg of total cell lysates. Thus, the limit of detection in the pull-down assay appears to be about 18-30 times higher than that obtainable with the G-LISA. It is also worth noting that the inventors in this application are highly skilled in the art of pull-down assays and have been responsible for developing a commercial product using this technology. Thus, the head to head comparison of the pull-down and the G-LISA show that both assays give comparable quantitations of Rho activation (about 2-fold), the results clearly establish the G-LISA as the superior assay. The advantages of the G-LISA are not restricted to superior sensitivity, although this is a major advancement, the G-LISA is also faster (<3 h compared to >10 h), requires much smaller sample size and is amenable to HTS applications.

Rac1 and Cdc42 G-LISA Assay Quantitations Compared to Pull-Down Quantitations of Active Rho GTPases

To further examine the utility of the G-LISA for in vivo activation of Rho GTPases we compared pull-down data with the G-LISA assay in well-documented examples of Rac1 and Cdc42 activation.

EGF has been shown to activate Rac1 2- to 5-fold above serum starved levels in several cell lines (Kurokawa et al., 2004, Mol. Biol. Cell, 15:100). FIG. 13A shows the results of a comparison between a pull-down assay, using 500 μg of cell lysate and a Rac1 G-LISA using 25 μg of cell lysate. Densitometric quantitation of the pull-down assay western blot indicated a 4-fold activation of Rac1. The Rac1 G-LISA performed in parallel agreed with this fold activation, giving a result of 4-fold above serum starved cell lysate (FIG. 13A).

It is well documented in the literature that EGF can activate Cdc42 by 2- to 3-fold above serum starved Cdc42 levels (Kurokawa et al., 2004, Mol. Biol. Cell, 15:100). FIG. 13B shows the results of a comparison between a pull-down assay, using 500 μg of cell lysate and a Cdc42 G-LISA using 25 μg of cell lysate. Densitometric quantitation of the pull-down assay western blot indicated a 2-fold activation of Cdc42. The Cdc42 G-LISA performed in parallel agreed with this fold activation, giving a result of 2.2-fold above serum starved cell lysate (FIG. 13B).

Transfection of foreign DNA into cell cultures and subsequent observation of the effects of protein expression on Rho GTPase activation is a common tool in cell and molecular biology (Klooster et al., 2006, J. Cell Biol., 1172:759-769; and Cheng et al., 2004, J. Biol. Chem., 279:12786-12793). The ability of the G-LISA to detect endogenous Rho GTPase activation upon transfection of HeLa cells with a Rho GTP Exchange Factor p115RhoGEF or Rho deactivation upon transfection of HeLa cells with a GTPase Activating Protein p150 RhoGAP (Wells et al., 2001, J. Biol. Chem., 276:28897-28905; and Arthur et al., 2001, Mol. Biol. Cell, 12:2711-2720) was therefore assessed.

The results in FIG. 13C demonstrate that the G-LISA can faithfully detect both an increase (p115RhoGEF) or a decrease (p150RhoGAP) in Rho GTPase activation in the transfection experiments. Furthermore the quantitation of active Rho GTPAse relative to vector only samples is consistent between the pull-down and the G-LISA assay.

Discussion

The results disclosed in Example 3 demonstrate that activation levels obtained from a given Rho GTPase are highly comparable between the pull-down assay and the G-LISA assay. Both assays were compared for quantitation of calpeptin activation of RhoA (FIG. 10), EGF activation of Rac1 (FIG. 13A) and EGF activation of Cdc42 (FIG. 13B) in serum starved HeLa cells. In all cases, the activation of Rho GTPases was similar between the two assays (typically 2- to 4-fold activation) and agreed with published data (Kazuo et al., 2004, Mol. Biol. Cell, 15:1003-1010). Rho activation and deactivation in cell lines transfected with p115RhoGEF (activator) or p190RhoGAP (deactivator) (FIG. 13C) was also compared. Results again showed pull-down and G-LISA assays to be comparable as far as fold activation measurements. Several different cell lines (e.g. Swiss 3T3, Jurkats, MDCK cells) have been analysed in these assays and in all cases the G-LISA quantitations agreed with published pull-down assay estimates (data not shown).

The results shown in FIGS. 10-13 clearly demonstrate that the utility of the G-LISA assays lies in quantitating RhoA activation from small amounts of sample. Thus, the linear range of this assay is approximately 6.25-50 μg of cell lysate (FIG. 10). This corresponds to an estimated 0.04-1.7 ng active RhoA (see example 2, Results section for rationale). The linear range of the pure recombinant constitutively active RhoA was found to be 0.1-2 ng (FIG. 11) which supports the estimates from the cell lysate samples. It should also be noted that the assays described in this example are for absorbance based G-LISAs. In this regard, luminometry based G-LISA assays are more sensitive than absorbance based versions which increase the sensitivity of the assay to below 0.04 ng (data not shown).

In contrast to the G-LISA, it is generally accepted that the quantitation of endogenous activated Rho GTPase's in a standard pull-down assay typically requires 1×10⁶ to 1×10⁷ cells or 300-800 μg of total cellular protein (Benard et al., 2002, Meth. Enz., 345:349-359; and Ren et al., 2000, Meth. Enz., 325:265-272). It is further recognized in the literature that this amount of lysate can be prohibitive for experiments where sample is limiting (Gottig et al., 2006, Eur. J. Immunol., 36:180-189). In this regard, a PAK-GST pull-down assay was directly compared with a PAK-GST G-LISA assay (FIG. 12). The results show that the G-LISA is about 18- to 30-fold more sensitive than the pull-down assay.

Instances requiring the use of small amounts of lysate include analysis of primary cell lines. A further instance would include the processing of high throughput samples cultured in small growth chambers, for example 12 well plates (typically 4×10⁵ cells), 24 well plates (typically 2×10⁵ cells) or 96 well plates (typically 3×10⁴ cells). The G-LISA can detect active RhoA signal from as little as 6 μg of total cell lysate equivalent to 2×10⁴ cells, thus making this assay amenable to the study of Rho GTPase activation even in instances where limiting amounts of sample are available such as in primary cell lines, clinical samples and high throughput applications.

Example 9 Stabilization of Effector-GBD Plates by Lyophilization

Stabilization of effector-GBD peptides confers an advantage to this assay format by creating plates that can be stored desiccated at 4° C. for extended periods of time. Referring to FIG. 14, lyophilzed ROCK-RBD coated microtiter plate were kept at 4° C. and >10% humidity for indicated time points. The activity of the plate was tested by a standard RhoA G-LISA with serum starved or Calpeptin treated cell lysates. In particular, plates were coated with effector-GBD as described in Example 2. After the block and wash step, 50 μl of lyophilization buffer (5% sucrose, 1% dextran in PBS pH 7.2) was added to each well. Plates were frozen to −70° C. and lyophilized using the following procedure:

Stabilize lyophilizer shelf temperature to −40° C. for 5 minutes;

Initiate vacuum to achieve<100 mtorr;

Vacuate for 4 hours at −26° C.;

Vacate for 4 hours at −10° C.;

Vacuate for 4 hours at 0° C.; and

Vacuate for 4 hours at 30° C.

Plates were then removed from the lyophilizer and packaged in containers containing a desiccant bag. Plates were stored at 4° C. and less than 10% humidity. Plates were analysed in a standard Rho:ROCK G-LISA using L63 constitutively active RhoA (5 ng per well) at the time intervals shown in FIG. 14. The % activity of each plate was plotted with reference to the plate assayed at time zero (100% activity). It was found that the plates remained very stable over at least 120 days under these conditions. Plates that were allowed to get damp lost activity after 1-2 hours (data not shown).

Discussion

Formulating a stable G-LISA plate has many advantages, including ease of storage and handling in HTS formats. As this assay is also presented in a kit format, the lyophilization of the plate contents allows shipping in the absence of dry ice and the like.

Example 10 Application of G-LISA Assay to Drug Discovery

It is well documented in the literature that Rho family proteins and their effector proteins are involved in a variety of human disease including cancer and renal disease (Fiordalisi et al., 2006, Canc. Res., 66:3153-3161; Fritz et al., 2006, Curr. Cancer Drug Targ., 1: 1-14; and Wakino et al., 2005, Drug Newa Perspect., 18:639-643). It would therefore be valuable to create a screen capable of identifying direct Rho GTPase modulators and compounds directly modulating the interaction of Rho GTPases with effectors. The application of the G-LISA technology has therefore been extended herein to include such screens.

Referring to FIG. 15, lysis buffer only (Blank) or 5 ng of Rac1 (61L) was subjected to a standard Rac1:POSH G-LISA. PAK-GST was included in the reaction at the lysates incubation stage of the assay. The PAK peptide should be a competitive inhibitor for POSH binding to Rac1 GTPase and thereby lower the G-LISA signal. ROCK-GST was included in some reactions a negative control “inhibitor”. The molar values of the PAK- and ROCK-GST peptides are given in μM. As predicted the PAK peptide was a more efficient competitor of Rac1:POSH reactions (IC₅₀ of 0.1 μM compared to 8 μM).

Results

The example shown in FIG. 15 depicts G-LISA data from 5 ng of constitutively active Rac1 (61L) bound to a POSH-GBD maleimide plate. The G-LISA was performed as described previously except that the reaction was carried out in the presence or absence of PAK-GBD-GST which should act as a competitive inhibitor of Rac1:POSH binding. PAK-GBD-GST was added to the reaction at 0 μM to 10 μM. FIG. 15 shows that the IC₅₀ for PAK is approximately 0.1 μM. The RhoA effector ROCK-GBD was also tested in the assay. The IC₅₀ for this peptide was approximately 80 times higher than for PAK (8 μM). This example serves to demonstrate the utility of the G-LISA assays in drug discovery.

Discussion

This example describes the application of the G-LISA to drug discovery. The assay format uses purified constitutively active Rho GTPases and purified effector-GBD peptides, it is therefore a well defined system that will generate results of immediate mechanistic relevance. It should be noted that the G-LISA assays are also amenable to the identification of compounds that modulate the activity of endogenous Rho GTPases. This assay (or kit) format would be carried out as follows: cells would be grown in a suitable HTS compatible vessel such as a 96 well plate, cells would be treated with a library of compounds (serum starving of cells prior to treatment is optional), cells would be lysed in 25 μl of lysis buffer (protein quantitation at this point is optional) and transferred to a G-LISA plate either in the presence or absence of 20% PEG 8000. Plates are incubated at 4° C. for 30 minutes then washed at room temperature and treated with Antigen Presenting Buffer for 2-5 minutes. Plates are washed and Rho GTPase in the wells is quantitated. Quantitation can be with a Rho-specific antibody or by some other means. HTS methodology can also employ robotics systems commonly used with microtiter plates or microarrays.

Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Each reference (including, but not limited to, journal articles, U.S. and non-U.S. patents, patent application publications, international patent application publications, gene bank accession numbers, and the like) cited in the present application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

1. A method for detecting an activated Rho GTPase protein comprising: contacting a solid support with a sample comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein, wherein the solid support is linked to an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide, and wherein the activated Rho GTPase in the sample binds the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide; attenuating Rho GTPase protein loss from the solid support by one of the following: adding methanol, ethanol, sodium dodecyl sulfate, or urea; heat denaturation; or heat denaturation in the presence of urea; and detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, wherein the activated Rho GTPase protein remains associated with the solid support during the detection; wherein prior to detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, a Binding Buffer is added when the Rho GTPase binding peptide is ROCK1 or ROCK2.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample comprises a cell lysate comprising endogenous activated Rho GTPase protein.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sample comprises less than 50 μg of total protein.
 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the cell lysate is prepared from less than 10⁵ cells.
 5. The method of claim 2 wherein the cell lysate has not been clarified. 6-8. (canceled)
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to detecting the activated Rho GTPase protein in the sample, a Binding Buffer is added.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the Binding Buffer comprises ficoll, dextran, or polyethylene glycol, or any combination thereof.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the polyethylene glycol is PEG 4000 or PEG 8000 at a final concentration of about 2% to about 40% v/v.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the activated Rho GTPase protein is detected using an antibody specific for one or more activated Rho GTPase proteins.
 13. (canceled)
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample comprises exogenous GTP, GDP or GTPγS.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the activated Rho GTPase protein is RhoA, RhoB, RhoC, RhoD, Rnd1, Rnd2, Rnd3, Rif, RhoG, Rac1, Rac1b, Rac2, Rac3, Cdc42, TC10, TCL, Wrch-1, Wrch-2, RhoBTB1, or RhoBTB2.
 16. (canceled)
 17. The method of claim 1 wherein the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is a Rhotekin, ROCK1, PAK1, POSH, WASP, or Dia1, or a mutant or multimer of the same. 18-19. (canceled)
 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is lyophilized.
 21. The method of claim 1 wherein the solid support is a microtiter plate or microarray.
 22. The method of claim 1 further comprising quantitating the amount of activated Rho GTPase protein bound to the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide.
 23. (canceled)
 24. The method of claim 1 wherein detection of the activated Rho GTPase protein is carried out by detecting an interaction between the activated Rho GTPase protein and the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide using absorbance, luminescence, or fluorescence.
 25. (canceled)
 26. A kit comprising: a solid support; an activated Rho GTPase binding peptide optionally linked to the solid support; and an Antigen Presenting Buffer.
 27. The kit of claim 26 wherein the solid support is a microtiter plate or microarray.
 28. The kit of claim 26 wherein the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is a Rhotekin, ROCK1, PAK1, POSH, WASP, or Dia1.
 29. The kit of claim 26 wherein the activated Rho GTPase binding peptide is an RBD domain.
 30. The kit of claim 26 wherein the Antigen Presenting Buffer is urea, ethanol, methanol, or tricholoracetic acid.
 31. The kit of claim 26 further comprising a positive control comprising an activated Rho GTPase protein that can bind to the Rho GTPase binding peptide.
 32. The kit of claim 26 further comprising a Binding Buffer.
 33. The kit of claim 32 wherein the Binding Buffer comprises ficoll, dextran, or polyethylene glycol, or any combination thereof.
 34. The kit of claim 26 further comprising instructions.
 35. The kit of claim 26 further comprising an agent for detecting binding between the Rho GTPase binding peptide and an activated Rho GTPase protein. 